Georgian Parliament official: sooner or later, EU will have to soften its tone toward Georgia

Zviad Shalamberidze, the first deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on regional policy and self-government, on Friday said that the European Union would eventually have to soften its critical tone toward Georgia.

In his interview with Imedi TV, Shalamberidze highlighted growing differences in positions between the United States and Europe on Georgia-related issues.

“We have often seen completely different positions between the United States and Europe on the same issue. This is becoming more and more evident. They do not hesitate to criticise each other - both the US criticising the EU and vice versa. I am far from thinking that the EU’s rhetoric toward Georgia will change today or tomorrow, especially as our relations with the United States are becoming increasingly intensive. However, sooner or later, the European Union will have to soften its tone toward Georgia”, Shalamberidze said.

He further highlighted that just as the United States realised that the reality in Georgia was completely different from what was being reported by ambassadors or other sources, the European Union would eventually see this as well.

“The United States has seen that the real picture is completely different from the information being conveyed from within our country by ambassadors, NGOs, or others, and it has become clear to the US that this information did not fully correspond to reality. I am confident that, similarly, either the current EU leaders - who, in my view, have their eyes widely shut - will eventually open them, or future leadership will do so, and they will properly assess Georgia’s path toward peace and understand that the Georgian government must primarily act in the interests of our country and society, rather than under external influence or control”, he concluded.