Georgia-Brussels relations held hostage by political context, says Parliament Speaker

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said the relationship between Georgia and Brussels remained “hostage to the political context”.

Speaking to Georgian journalists in Budapest after addressing the Conference of Speakers of Parliaments of EU Member and Partner States, Papuashvili expressed his belief that this relationship would be freed the moment the “incorrect approaches” held by certain political groups towards Georgia are eliminated.

“Unfortunately, today the relationship between Georgia and Brussels is hostage to the political context that has emerged in our region, driven by many contributing factors. On the one hand, we see the heavy burden the European Union bears as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine, and in this regard, some political groups in Europe harbored harmful expectations regarding Georgia, anticipating that Georgia would engage in a policy of escalation, despite the fact that, unlike them, we are neither protected by NATO nor under the umbrella of EU economic solidarity”, the Speaker said.

“On the other hand, there are certain political groups in Europe who support our former authoritarian leader, [the imprisoned former President] Mikheil Saakashvili, and are trying not only to rescue him from his lawful punishment but also to bring his political force back into power. As soon as these two incorrect approaches that some political groups have towards Georgia are removed, the relationship between Georgia, Brussels, and various EU member states will immediately emerge from this captivity”, he concluded.