Georgia’s ruling party official predicts shift toward sovereignty-focused leadership in Europe

Levan Machavariani, the First Deputy Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Saturday said the ruling political class within the European Union has “lost its sense of reality”, citing declining public attitudes toward the EU.

In his remarks with Imedi TV, Machavariani referred to a recent Eurobarometer survey conducted by the European Commission, which showed a deterioration in public sentiment toward the European Union. He described the results as “deeply disappointing”.

He further stressed that Georgia had faced unfair treatment from both the former US administration and European officials after refusing to open what he described as a “second front” against Russia amid the war in Ukraine.

The official claimed that over the past four years, Georgian citizens had witnessed repeated attempts to destabilise the country and provoke a revolution, with external support, aimed at bringing to power forces that would unconditionally follow foreign instructions.

Machavariani also criticized what he called a double standard in assessing protests in Georgia. He argued that European actors avoid labeling violent demonstrations as such, instead referring to them as peaceful, in order not to discourage radical groups they finance.

“It does not suit them to call violent protests by their proper name, because that would serve as an indicator to the groups they fund that they do not applaud their radicalism. Accordingly, no matter how violent a protest may be, they must label it as peaceful”, he noted.

He also referred to a recent Eurobarometer survey conducted by the European Commission, noting that it showed a decline in public attitudes toward the European Union.

“The Eurocrats who make up the ruling class in the EU today have lost their grip on reality. A few months ago, the European Commission conducted a Eurobarometer survey showing that attitudes toward the EU have worsened, which is very disappointing. We are confident that, just as in the US, the people of Europe will awaken, and in a few years, these Eurocrats will no longer be at the helm. They will be replaced by politicians for whom the sovereignty of their countries and the EU is important, and for whom Christian values will be vital. Then, our positions will be in alignment”, Machavariani concluded.