Georgian FM “welcomes” Armenia’s strengthening ties with EU, US amidst Tbilisi’s political crisis

Maka Botchorishvili, who is currently in Armenia as Georgia’s Foreign Minister, on Thursday expressed support for Armenia’s deepening ties with the European Union and the United States. Speaking at a joint briefing with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Botchorishvili emphasized the regional benefits of Armenia’s expanding partnerships.

“We certainly welcome the strengthening and deepening of Armenia’s partnership with the European Union and the United States. We think this is very good and welcome for the region, and of course, we are glad that our neighboring country’s relations with its partners are developing in this direction,” she said.

Over recent weeks, Armenia has taken significant steps to enhance its relations with the US and the EU, signaling a shift in its foreign policy. Meanwhile, Georgia, under the rule of the Georgian Dream party, has faced significant setbacks in its own European integration efforts. The US terminated its strategic partnership with Georgia, while the EU has criticized the ruling party for adopting laws that restrict freedom of expression, minority rights, and press freedom. These actions have led to concerns about democratic backsliding in the country.

On November 28, 2024, the Georgian Dream government announced that negotiations for Georgia’s European integration would not be on the agenda for the next four years. This decision has triggered continuous mass protests across the country, met with police force, and resulted in the detention of 45 demonstrators under criminal charges, with all facing several years in prison. Despite calls for accountability, no law enforcement officials have been prosecuted for their use of force against protesters and journalists.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) weighed in on the situation on Wednesday, adopting a resolution urging Georgian authorities to release political prisoners by April and to schedule new parliamentary elections. In response to the resolution, the PACE limited the voting rights of the Georgian Dream delegation. Following this decision, Georgian Dream announced its withdrawal from the assembly.

PACE President Theodoros Roussopoulos expressed concern over the ruling party’s decision, saying, “I regret the decision of the Georgian delegation to withdraw from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe… This poses a threat to the dialogue that would contribute to the improvement of democratic standards in Georgia.”