Georgian Parliament official says Georgian Gov’t only actor taking responsibility for European integration

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, on Wednesday said the Georgian Government was the only actor, which was taking responsibility for European integration and taking steps in this direction.

Makhashvili’s comment followed the recent information reported by the Georgian media outlet Prime Time that the domestic radical opposition was asking foreign allies in Brussels to suspend visa liberalisation for Georgia by the end of November, convincing high-ranking officials in Brussels that pressure on Georgian Government officials alone would not bring results.

In his remarks, Makhashvili noted that those who opposed European integration in various ways represented the opposition forces.

“If there is an actor responsible for European integration, which is taking responsibility and taking steps in this direction, it is the Georgian Government. Those who oppose this process in various ways are the opposition”, Makhashvili said.

“Georgia was not the initiator, it was some forces in Brussels who decided not to respect the choice and will of the Georgian citizens. We will have the opportunity to return to these relations in full when these forces respect the choice of the Georgian citizens”, he concluded.