Georgia’s First Vice-Speaker criticizes Borrell’s remarks on Tbilisi’s foreign course

Gia Volski, the First Vice-Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday criticized EU High Representative Joseph Borrell for his recent statement suggesting that Georgia’s trajectory was moving away from the European Union.

Volski expressed confusion and disappointment over Borrell’s remarks, questioning why the EU official, who had previously shown a positive attitude toward Georgia, was now “making threats” to Tbilisi.

“Borrell’s statement is concerning and misinformed. He has visited Georgia multiple times and, based on his previous statements, seemed to appreciate our country. However, his recent position appears to have shifted, which is troubling,” Volski told journalists.

The Vice-Speaker emphasized that Borrell’s comments did not align with Georgia’s international ratings. “There is no evidence to support the claim that Georgia is lagging behind in terms of human rights, political freedoms, economic aspects, or justice system performance. In fact, our indicators surpass those of some EU countries and other candidate nations,” Volski argued.

He urged Borrell to consider the objective data rather than the emotions driven by the “radical opposition’s” claims. “The United National Movement opposition does not represent the entire Georgian sentiment. Borrell should rely on factual ratings and not the emotional appeals of a minority group,” Volski said.

Borrell had expressed concerns about Georgia’s direction during a recent summit, stating, “we are increasingly worried about the trajectory of this country, which is moving away from the European Union.”