Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze sharply criticized a statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, in which she said the European Union does not intend to support the country's government but will support only its people. According to the Georgian head of government, this stance demonstrates that the European bureaucracy has "reached the point of absurdity."
"When you reach such a level of absurdity, it means you are no longer capable of making decisions independently. And then they are surprised when we say that the European bureaucracy is entirely controlled by external forces rather than acting in accordance with its own sovereign interests," the Georgian Prime Minister stated.
Kobakhidze cited a ministerial meeting on transport connectivity as an example, noting that representatives from seven countries were invited to participate, whereas Georgia—which he believes plays a key role in linking the region to the Black Sea and the West—did not receive an invitation at the ministerial level.
In Kobakhidze's view, the inability of European institutions to act in their own interests is one of the reasons for the weakening of the European Union's position. He added that the EU's share of the global economy has shrunk from approximately 30% in 2008 to 17.5% today.
Furthermore, Kobakhidze noted that after abandoning cheap Russian resources and amidst the crisis in the Middle East, the European Union has faced serious challenges regarding transport connectivity. Against this backdrop, the Prime Minister emphasized, Georgia remains the most effective route for Europe to maintain trade and economic ties.
Commenting on Kallas's remarks, the Prime Minister also stated that the EU's top diplomat effectively fails to recognize Georgia's sovereignty. "We have stated repeatedly that the Russian Federation exists and does not recognize Georgia's sovereignty over 20% of its territory. Then there is Kaja Kallas, who does not recognize Georgia's sovereignty over 100% of the country's territory. Naturally, this is a completely shameful position. When the European Union's High Representative fails to recognize the will of the Georgian people—and indeed opposes that will and the Georgian people themselves—it is a deeply concerning development," Kobakhidze declared.
Kobakhidze’s remarks came amidst a new surge in tensions between Tbilisi and Brussels. Earlier, EU Ambassador to Georgia Paweł Herczyński stated that the country is no longer among the candidates advancing toward European Union membership. He cited a failure to meet the democratic criteria that Brussels deems mandatory for accession as the reason. At the same time, the diplomat emphasized that the EU hopes for a change in the situation.
