Georgian FM: European Parliament resolution contains manipulative and false claims aimed at political pressure on Georgia

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Thursday dismissed the European Parliament’s resolution on Georgia, saying the document contains manipulative and inaccurate statements aimed at exerting political pressure on the country.

Botchorishvili made the remarks while commenting on the European Parliament’s recently adopted report on Georgia prepared by MEP Rasa Juknevičienė, saying that the resolution includes misleading information intended to divide Georgian society and damage Georgia’s international image.

She emphasised that such approaches by EU institutions contribute to deepening polarisation and create grounds for further confrontation.

“Generally, this resolution or report contains many unusual statements, which make it impossible to seriously assess the document or express a serious position on it. You know who the rapporteur of this report is. This is not the only attempt to divide our society; we have seen many such attempts. On the one hand, they speak to us about polarisation, while on the other hand they use every mechanism and every means to make our society even more divided and confrontational. It is truly regrettable that this is happening through the actions of European Parliamentarians and EU institutions”, Botchorishvili said.

The Foreign Minister said it was particularly concerning that one of the EU institutions, the European Parliament, was being used as an instrument of political pressure against Georgia.

“It is very regrettable that one of the EU institutions, in this case the European Parliament, is being used as a tool to exert or attempt to exert pressure on our society and to reinforce completely false narratives about Georgia. This resolution contains many lies and incorrect information, and many provisions are highly manipulative. Accordingly, all of this serves to damage Georgia’s reputation. You have seen the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding this text, and we perceive it as an attack against the Georgian state and Georgian society. It is truly unacceptable that this is being done through one of the EU institutions”, she said.

Botchorishvili also addressed the issue of visa-free travel restrictions, saying that specific measures had already been introduced and that their format and targeting were unusual by international standards.

“The suspension of visa-free travel has already been implemented in a certain form. Such a mechanism was introduced unusually, specifically for holders of diplomatic passports, which is generally unprecedented in international relations. Diplomats are precisely the people who hold diplomatic passports and who, on the contrary, usually enjoy certain privileges because they are expected to help resolve even the most difficult international issues. In any case, such a decision is truly unusual, when the visa regime suspension mechanism was applied specifically to holders of diplomatic passports”, Botchorishvili stated.

The Minister added that Georgia continues dialogue with the European Commission and is actively working on all related issues, including assessing decisions affecting diplomatic passport holders.

“You know that we have already held the first meeting with the European Commission. We had the opportunity to discuss the visa suspension mechanism and, in general, all issues related in this case to the suspension of visa-free travel for diplomatic passport holders. We will continue working on these matters”, Bochorishvili concluded.

The European Parliament adopted Rasa Juknevičienė’s report on Georgia. The report was approved by 436 votes in favour and 145 against.

The report adopted by the European Parliament discusses sanctions against representatives of the Georgian authorities.

The European Parliament also calls on EU member states to refrain from holding meetings with the ruling Georgian Dream party. The document further discusses sanctions against television broadcasters, including Imedi TV.

In addition, according to the resolution, the European Parliament calls on the Commission to establish a mechanism that would allow civil society activists, journalists and students to retain visa-free access to the European Union.