Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, representing the ruling Georgian Dream party, have made new anti-European statements.
Kaladze commented on the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, where the situation in Georgia is among the topics being discussed. He stated that he has "absolutely no interest" in the event and that the statements made by European politicians are based on "injustice and lies."
"The main objective is to install representatives of their network of agents in the country's leadership by any means necessary, in order to then use the country for their own interests and force it to do whatever they please—just as is happening in Ukraine," the Tbilisi Mayor asserted.
He also questioned whether EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas is well-acquainted with Georgia, stating that the country is demonstrating progress in its economy and the strengthening of democratic institutions.
"Let us look at our economic and democratic development over recent years, and at the state of freedom of speech and expression. But not the kind of freedom of speech that suits *them*—where one can curse, use foul language, insult, and harass people who hold different views. If you think differently, they simply steamroll you. To them, that is democracy; to us, it is not. Everyone should have freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and equal opportunities, and that is precisely the kind of country we are building," Kaladze concluded. Meanwhile, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili criticized EU Ambassador to Georgia Paweł Herczyński, who had participated in Europe Day celebrations in the Kakheti region on Saturday and addressed the crowd in Georgian. Papuashvili stated that had the Georgian authorities heeded the European leadership and the ambassador, the country would have been devastated by war and economic crisis.
"Today, Georgia would be an economically ruined country—a country destroyed by war," he said.
Papuashvili also suggested that, in such a scenario, Herczyński would have had to be evacuated from the country, just as diplomatic missions were evacuated from Kyiv following the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Speaker specifically commented on the ambassador's behavior at the event, noting his dancing. According to Papuashvili, Herczyński should realize that he is able to enjoy himself in Georgia precisely because the Georgian authorities did not follow the recommendations of the European leadership.
Furthermore, Papuashvili accused the EU delegation of holding Europe Day events without the participation of Georgian authorities. He claimed that the diplomatic mission had effectively become a political player and labeled the festivities "days of European hatred." In the Speaker's view, Herczyński's actions violate the Vienna Convention.
In 2024, the European Union suspended Georgia's accession process amid disagreements with the country's authorities. Relations between Tbilisi and Brussels deteriorated sharply following the parliamentary elections on October 26, 2024, the results of which were challenged by the opposition and President Salome Zourabichvili. On November 28, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would not begin EU accession negotiations until the end of 2028. The decision sparked mass pro-European protests, accompanied by clashes with police and the detention of demonstrators.
