Georgian PM: Georgia ready to reboot relations with EU, but Soviet-style approaches must change

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Thursday sharply criticised European bureaucracy, stating that its policies have brought Europe to a “very difficult situation” and troubling trends, and called on European institutions to reassess their approach.

Speaking to journalists, the Prime Minister acknowledged that Europe still maintains a level of prosperity built on 70 years of uninterrupted peace across the continent. However, he stressed that the current trends are extremely concerning.

“In 2008, the European Union accounted for 30 percent of the global economy; today, that share has dropped to 17 percent. When faced with such serious challenges and troubling trends, Europe should focus both on solving its internal problems and on developing international relations. Yet, we observe that instead of strengthening cooperation, some actors are artificially severing ties with countries like Georgia. This does not serve the EU’s objective interests and illustrates that European bureaucracy is driven entirely by external forces rather than the interests of European societies”, the PM noted.

Kobakhidze further described European bureaucracy as qualitatively under the influence of external powers, referring to it as a “deep state”. While the influence of such forces has weakened in the United States, he argued, the focus has shifted to the EU.

“The influence of the deep state has weakened in the United States, but the focus has shifted to the European Union. I once again express hope that as soon as the war in Ukraine ends, these approaches will change. On our part, we are fully ready to reboot relations with the European Union. We are completely open, but from their side we see Soviet-style approaches, isolationist attitudes, and a refusal to engage in dialogue. These are entirely Soviet-style approaches, which must change”, he concluded.