EU, not Georgia, suspended dialogue on European integration, PM

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told Parliament on Wednesday that Georgia did not stop its European integration process, and that the suspension of dialogue was initiated by the European Union itself on June 27, 2024. The EU later confirmed this decision in official documents, he claimed.

“This decision by the EU bureaucracy to pause dialogue with Georgia was extremely unfair to the Georgian people. Subsequently, some claimed that Georgia had halted the process, but this is incorrect - the suspension had already been imposed by the EU. Such misrepresentation is unacceptable and, in some ways, violates moral principles within European bureaucracy,” Kobakhidze said during an interpellation hearing.

Regarding Georgia’s foreign policy orientation, the Prime Minister emphasized that it was enshrined in the Constitution, with relevant amendments adopted through the efforts of the current government. Kobakhidze noted that at the time, the opposition did not support these measures.

He also highlighted that while global political dynamics and EU approaches currently complicated the country’s objectives, Georgia’s position remained “clear and consistent, as reflected in both constitutional provisions and public statements.”

“Our foreign policy orientation is transparent and absolute. We hope that EU approaches will evolve, and that global circumstances may shift to allow us to achieve all set objectives. However, the current global context, including NATO-Ukraine relations, affects other countries as well and shapes EU bureaucracy’s approach toward Georgia,” Kobakhidze said.