PM Kobakhidze says EU integration was used as tool to pressure Georgia and attempt political change

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has claimed that Georgia was deliberately denied EU candidate status in 2022 as part of an effort to use the country's European integration ambitions as a tool of political pressure.

Speaking during a debate on Rustavi 2, Kobakhidze said the ruling party had anticipated that Ukraine and Moldova would receive candidate status while Georgia would be left out, despite what stronger performance by Georgia against key EU criteria.

The Prime Minister added the European Commission later acknowledged that Georgia was ahead of some countries that had already been granted candidate status, yet Tbilisi was initially excluded from the process.

Kobakhidze argued that the decision was intended to create domestic political pressure on the Government and said some opposition groups and non-governmental organisations sought to use the issue to push for political change.

He also alleged that discussions about potential protests linked to the candidate status decision had taken place before the EU announced its decision in June 2022.

The Prime Minister said Georgia spent the following 18 months implementing reforms and meeting EU recommendations before obtaining candidate status in December 2023.

"Someone believed that, given the strong public support for European integration, the EU path could be used as the most effective instrument for changing the Government. Ultimately, that goal was not achieved," Kobakhidze said.