Georgian PM criticises European bureaucracy over corruption, democratic backsliding

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday criticised the European bureaucracy, citing corruption and a decline in democratic principles as the main challenges, following the opening of an investigation against Angelika Niebler, the head of Germany’s centrist-right delegation in the European Parliament.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze stated that corruption was the central problem affecting European institutions both in narrow, individual cases and in broader systemic terms.

“This points to the very grave situation that has developed within European bureaucracy. Altogether, this amounts to corruption. In both narrow and broad terms, the main problem we see in European bureaucracy is corruption and serious backsliding - in terms of democracy, respect for principles, and values. We see serious regression in all areas, and this situation must change. This is our wish and our call to the European bureaucracy,” the PM said.