Ruling party Sec Gen hopes EU will return to legal framework it was founded upon

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday expressed hope that the European Union would return to the legal foundations on which it was originally established.

In his remarks regarding ongoing discussions within the EU, Kaladze criticised proposals that would revoke member states’ right to veto decisions, describing the idea as “unimaginable”.

“When the European Union was created, it was founded on principles of peace, diversity in human rights, and freedom of speech and expression. Today, all member states have equal rights, including the right to veto. Now they are discussing removing this right. For example, in Romania, when the election results were not favorable, they annulled the presidential election results altogether and removed the leading candidate - the one most likely to win - simply because he was not acceptable to them. This is unimaginable. I truly hope that Europe will find its footing and return to the legal framework upon which it was originally built”, the official said.

Kaladze also referred to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s statement that Ukraine’s accession to the EU is impossible without Hungary’s consent, noting that Orbán has consistently acted fairly toward countries like Georgia.

“Orbán is a leader who has governed his country for many years and defends its national interests. I wish him success, as he has always been fair toward Georgia. His Government consistently speaks out against the unfair rhetoric directed at Georgia, which is filled with political speculation, lies, and misinformation. Of course, we welcome the fact that there is someone who speaks the truth and stands up for countries like Georgia”, he concluded.