Georgian FM says lack of factual evidence led to Kulevi’s removal from EU sanctions package

The European Union has officially decided to exclude the Kulevi Oil Terminal, located in Georgia, from its 20th package of sanctions against Russia. The decision comes after intensive consultations between the Georgian government and the European Commission.

Georgian foreign minister Maka Botchorishvili confirmed the development, emphasising that the initial proposal lacked any factual evidence to justify the terminal's inclusion in the restrictive measures.

In her remarks, the foreign minister noted that the Georgian government requested a formal basis for the proposal as soon as the issue surfaced. However, no evidence was provided to suggest that the terminal was being used to circumvent international sanctions.

“It was truly important to receive the letter from the European Commission regarding the removal of Kulevi from the sanctions package. We, of course, worked on this issue with the European Commission. There is no evidence that would justify this issue being part of the EU sanctions, and in the absence of such proof, including Kulevi in the 20th package could not be justified”, the FM said.

She highlighted that Georgia has remained transparent and proactive in preventing the bypass of Russian sanctions through its territory. During the negotiations, Georgian officials demonstrated the specific mechanisms and steps the country has implemented to remain a reliable partner.

“We had intensive communication with the European Commission on this matter. From the very first day that we learnt about the existence of the Kulevi issue - we requested that the European side provide the basis for such a step, and of course, no such basis was presented”, Botchorishvili noted.

“At the same time, we once again demonstrated to the European Commission the steps Georgia is taking to ensure its territory is not used to circumvent the sanctions imposed on Russia. In this regard, Georgia is truly proactive; there is no fact that would confirm the opposite. This is precisely why the European Commission withdrew the proposal to include Kulevi Port in the sanctions package, and this is further confirmed by Mr. O’Sullivan’s letter”, she continued.

Botchorishvili stressed that the lack of justification made advancement of the proposal impossible, resulting in its complete withdrawal.