Georgian Parliament official dismisses EU representative's concerns as “frivolous”

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Committee on European Integration of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday dismissed recent statements by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas regarding the situation in Georgia as “frivolous”.

Kallas had previously expressed concerns over the detention of individuals in Georgia, stating that “we are concerned about the arrests of people in Georgia and are putting pressure on those responsible for violence against peaceful protesters”.

In his remarks, Makhashvili alleged that certain individuals were pushing a specific agenda concerning Georgia, aiming to further radicalise the domestic opposition.

“These statements are, to say the least, frivolous. The statement was made at the Foreign Affairs Council, where, for the first time in years, the agenda actually focused on the real problems of the European Union - crises, wars, and political tensions both inside and outside the EU. Georgia logically does not belong to this agenda because it has never been and will not be the main problem for the EU. Georgia has been, is, and will continue to be a reliable partner of the West in the region”, the Parliament official said.

Makhashvili further claimed that there are “distinct interests” from certain individuals to create an alternative agenda regarding Georgia, with the intention of pushing the radical opposition towards further radicalisation.

“We are only observing this, and there is nothing else interesting coming from her or her colleagues”, he concluded.