PM Kobakhidze slams EU report as politically motivated, claims Georgia values only 'objective' assessments

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has rejected a European Union report on Georgia as politically motivated, saying his government gives weight only to assessments based on what he described as objective reality.

Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, Kobakhidze criticised the report's references to repression and challenged the EU to identify a member state where protesters had blocked a capital's main avenue for a year.

"Tell me one EU member state where 150, 100 or sometimes 50 people blocked the capital's main avenue for a year or more, and then we can discuss the objectivity of this assessment," Kobakhidze said.

He defended legislation adopted by the Georgian government to restrict such protests, saying it had been labelled a "draconian law" against freedom of assembly.

Kobakhidze also defended Georgia's transparency legislation, which critics have described as a "Russian law", saying it was intended to counter foreign influence.

He further claimed the EU report reflected political interests because foreign-backed groups had sought to change Georgia's government but had failed to do so after the authorities adopted legislation opposing their activities.

He accused “EU bureaucrats aligned with the deep state" and "global war party" of criticising developments in Georgia because the government's policies did not serve their interests.