Georgian PM criticises European bureaucracy over loss of core values

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said that Georgian society was naturally pro-European and rooted in Christian values, while accusing representatives of the European bureaucracy of abandoning those same principles.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze noted that the issue of European integration had been used by European institutions as a tool of political pressure against Georgia.

“The issue of European integration is being used as an instrument of blackmail. Since last November, they have been left with only one tool of blackmail - visa liberalisation. At that time, we stated that the issue of opening accession talks was being removed from the agenda on our side. At the same time, we clarified that if they took this step, we would be ready to sign the opening of negotiations at any moment. Why did we do this? Every three months, the European bureaucracy would have had to refuse to open negotiations with Georgia - constant blackmail, constant negativity”, he said.

The Prime Minister described this approach as a policy of “double standards”, noting that since November only one instrument of pressure remained - visa liberalisation.

“This was guaranteed, based on the experience we gained since March 2022, when we refused to open a second front in Georgia. Now, the only remaining instrument of blackmail is visa liberalisation. However, this instrument is also worn out. If they themselves believed that this tool could be effective against the Georgian people and Georgia, they would use it on the instructions of external, informal forces. But they believe that they cannot stage a revolution this way, nor provoke unrest on a scale that could lead to a change of government. Otherwise, they would have done it”, he noted.

Kobakhidze further noted that visa liberalisation had also lost its effectiveness as a pressure mechanism.

“However, to some extent, they too are pragmatic and are not taking this step because they do not see any potential effect. I do not think this step will be taken, because it would ultimately alienate the Georgian people as well. The Georgian people already have a well-formed attitude toward European bureaucracy”, he continued.

The Prime Minister also claimed that public trust in the European bureaucracy has sharply declined in Georgia, falling below 20 percent, and that trust in the European Union as an institution has also weakened.

“Public trust in European bureaucracy among the Georgian people is at its lowest level - below 20 percent towards European bureaucracy and its leaders. Trust in the European Union has also declined. In people’s perception, the EU is associated with democracy, democratic elections, and human rights. Yet people see that an EU ambassador, one of the bureaucrats, directly interferes in democratic elections, violates the principle of sovereignty, and grossly violates our country’s Constitution”, Kobakhidze noted.

Despite this criticism, Kobakhidze reaffirmed Georgia’s aspiration to EU membership, expressing hope that the European Union would eventually overcome what he described as its current internal crisis affecting democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, and the economy.

“Our goal is to become a member of the European Union, but this aspiration is based on our optimism that the misfortune currently unfolding within the EU will change in a positive direction. This concerns the economy, democracy, human rights, freedom of speech, expression, and the media, and so on. Attitudes toward the EU are, naturally, different, but what we see from the European bureaucracy cannot enjoy any approval in Georgian society. Our society is, by its very nature, a pro-European society based on Christian values. Respect for European values is embedded in our identity and genes, yet representatives of the European bureaucracy have somehow lost these genes. Nowhere is their respect for European values - traditional Christian values - and the legal and state values derived from them, and this is very unfortunate”, the Prime Minister concluded.