Georgian Parliament official: Brussels puts countries through political hell when they disagree with it

Levan Makhashvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Committee on European Integration, on Thursday commented on the US Secretary of State’s remarks concerning the European Union, saying Brussels often subjects countries to “political hell” when they act based on their own national interests and disagree with its stance.

“It is normal for Brussels to show interest in developments around the world, but what is abnormal and unacceptable is the political or moral hell that it puts countries through when they, based on their own national interests, disagree with it. Georgia has a great deal of experience in this regard”, he noted.

“The sooner Brussels understands and acknowledges this, the more friends it will retain both in its neighborhood and beyond. Conversely, if it refuses to recognise this role, it will face difficulties maintaining its credibility as a reliable partner in the world”, Makhashvili concluded.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday stated that the European Union had no authority to define international law or to instruct the United States on how to defend its national security, emphasising that the country was under attack from organized criminal narco-terrorist groups and that “US President Donald Trump is responding in the defense of the country”.