Georgian FM: Brussels has cornered itself - if it truly wants Georgia in EU, it must engage with democratically elected Government

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Thursday said Brussels had cornered itself and needed to find a way to begin discussions with Georgia’s democratically elected Government if it truly wished to see the country join the European Union.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Botchorishvili noted that the EU was refusing to speak with the Georgian Government, and without dialogue, there was no way out of the deadlock.

“It is difficult to understand today what Brussels’ goal is with such an attitude toward the Georgian Government. Elections were held, the Georgian people chose this Government, and the choice has been made. Brussels has driven itself into a dead end with its own decisions when it said that because a law was adopted - a law adopted by the Parliament based on the interests of society and the country - it would suspend relations with Georgia. Naturally, reversing such a decision is not easy once you have placed yourself in such a deadlocked position”, the FM said.

“What does it mean to repeal the law? I am proving to you that this law is needed for the interests and security of my country. You may recall the Prime Minister’s repeated invitations - come, let’s talk, and I will explain why this law is necessary for my country. But no one came, no one listened, and the immediate decision was, We will not talk to you. Now reversing this is not easy, and it will not be easy for them to find a way out. Let’s put it this way: Brussels has essentially driven this process into a deadlock, and I expect that they will have to take certain steps to bring the process out of it”, she continued.

Botchorishvili further emphasised that the Georgian Government often heard loud statements that they stand by the Georgian people and support the aspirations of the Georgian people and called that statement a lie as well.

“If you refuse to speak with the government, how can you lead the country into the European Union, while claiming to support the European aspirations of its people? So such manipulative statements should probably stop, and we should find a way to return to normal, partner-like relations, based on shared interests. We have never refused EU integration, we have never refused EU membership. And if Brussels truly wants to see Georgia in the European Union, naturally, it must find a way to begin talks on this issue with the government elected by the people”, the Minister concluded