Georgian PM slams EU Ambassador’s remarks as “extremely grave”

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday said that remarks by the European Union’s ambassador to Georgia were “extremely grave”, claiming the diplomat had directly threatened the Georgian public with civil unrest and a return to poverty.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze drew parallels between the ambassador's current stance and his behaviour leading up to the 2024 parliamentary elections, when the diplomat had attempted to influence the electorate in favour of the opposition.

“When the EU ambassador directly threatens the Georgian people with civil war and a return to poverty, this is, of course, very grave. Mr. Herczynski also threatened the Georgian people ahead of the [2024] parliamentary elections, when he called on voters to go to the polls and bring the collective National Movement back to power. In reality, that was the meaning of his appeal at the time”, the PM said.

“Naturally, the return of the collective National Movement to power would mean a return to the dark past that we have already experienced, and the Georgian people do not want to go back to that. This is precisely why, during the 2024 parliamentary elections, the Georgian people did not take Herczynski’s call into account”, he continued.

Kobakhidze added that a diplomatic step was taken, and the ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry, where he provided explanations to the foreign minister.

“There was nothing new in this. We are accustomed to such statements from the EU ambassador. It was essentially the same statement. Although it was not new, it was still deemed necessary to respond, and that is why a diplomatic step was taken. The ambassador was summoned, and the foreign minister Maka Botchorishvili heard his explanations. This is the diplomatic step that had to be taken in relation to this issue”, he concluded.