Georgian Parliament official: Georgia chooses sovereignty, freedom, we will not play someone else’s game

David Matikashvili, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on Procedural Issues and Rules, on Friday accused the EU bureaucracy of disrespecting Georgia’s sovereignty and distorting its achievements, declaring that the country would not be drawn into “someone else’s game” at the expense of national identity.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Matikashvili noted that, in some cases, European bureaucracy had crossed “the line of disgrace”, including in areas such as the human rights dialogue with Georgia.

“Even in this area, they cannot look us in the eye. They avoid answering questions and, ultimately, avoid dialogue altogether. Added to this are the statements by European foreign ministers and other officials - statements that cannot withstand even basic criticism. It seems they have difficulty understanding what sovereignty and elections mean for an independent country”, he said.

The official asserted that the EU had disregarded Georgia’s progress in economic stability and peace, while presenting distorted narratives that served its own interests.

“Furthermore, the specific document on enlargement - which, from the point of view of European bureaucracy, would have included any positive elements - rejected all of it. Economic progress, peace policy, and the stability Georgia has achieved through these efforts - they ignored it all. They presented only what they wanted, wrapped in lies, and reduced the truth to a minimum. This is the reality that exists today between the EU bureaucracy and Georgia”, he noted.

Matikashvili further noted that global informal influence groups were using Georgia’s geographic location to advance their own policies, especially in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

“Someone may ask: why is this happening to Georgia - doesn’t Europe have other matters to deal with? As long as global political issues - such as the war in Ukraine, one of the most important issues in the world today - remain relevant for informal influence groups, Georgia will not disappear from the agenda. Why? Because Georgia’s geographical and geopolitical positioning is very convenient for such forces to advance their policy in a different direction - which, in the end, could be fatal for Georgia”, he said.

The official concluded by reiterating the Georgian Government’s chosen path.

“For our society and for our state, this could all end very badly. We choose sovereignty, freedom, economic progress, and we cannot get involved in someone else’s game - a game that may end with placing the final full stop on Georgian identity - regardless of any demands from European bureaucrats”, Matikashvili concluded.