Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday criticized the presence of foreign ambassadors at court hearings involving domestic civil activists and media representatives arrested during anti-Government protests, calling it a direct political interference in the independence of the country’s judiciary.
Foreign ambassadors, including the French Ambassador, this week attended a court hearing involving media manager Mzia Amaglobeli, who was in January arrested for assaulting a police official during protests in western Georgia against the Government’s decision last year to halt EU integration until 2028.
Speaking to journalists, Kobakhidze emphasized the importance of “respecting” Georgia’s Constitution and the principles it upholds.
“This is a direct political interference in the independence of the Georgian judiciary. This is as clear as day. I call on everyone to respect the Georgian Constitution, its principles. Also, to respect the conventions that bind foreign ambassadors working in Georgia. Unfortunately, these principles and constitutional norms have not been respected to this day. I hope that all this will be corrected in the future,” he said.
Beyond judicial concerns, Kobakhidze also addressed the evolving geopolitical landscape, highlighting the importance of developments in the United States and the European Union.
“There are now different approaches in the new administration of the United States of America, however, the European Union is not changing its own approaches, including in relation to the [Ukraine] war,” he noted, without specifying further details.
The Prime Minister reiterated that the Georgian government’s primary focus remained on “safeguarding national interests” amidst global uncertainties.
“We must monitor the development of events. The main thing is that against the background of all this, we are fully focused on protecting our national interests. This is our main priority and task,” Kobakhidze asserted.
