Georgian PM denounces EU visa liberalisation suspension threats as election interference

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday accused external forces of attempting to interfere in Georgia’s democratic elections by raising the issue of suspending visa liberalisation with the European Union.

In his remarks with Ajara TV, Kobakhidze described these actions as not only damaging to the image of European bureaucracy but also detrimental to the credibility of the entire European Union.

“This all started in 2020 when the European Union planned to halt a loan of approximately €70 million to the country two weeks before the elections. Back then, we preempted it and refused the loan, as we didn’t need it for anything, but it was clearly aimed at affecting the election results, intended to harm our electoral chances, and actions continue in this spirit. We also remember, during the same previous elections, the EU Ambassador openly called on voters to mobilise on election day against the Georgian Dream Government and, accordingly, in favour of the opposition. We recall numerous instances of such direct interference”, Kobakhidze said.

The Prime Minister emphasised that the current threats to suspend visa liberalisation follow a similar pattern, aimed at undermining the ruling Georgian Dream party’s electoral prospects.

“Here, too, there is an attempt to interfere in our democratic elections by raising this issue, which has a very negative impact on the image of European bureaucracy. What is particularly regrettable is that this discredits not only European bureaucracy but the entire European Union, which is truly unfortunate”, the PM concluded.