EU risks ‘internal takeover’ by Kremlin influence – MEP Juknevičienė in warning on Georgia

The European Union must act urgently to prevent Kremlin-style influence from taking root within its own borders, MEP Rasa Juknevičienė has warned, citing Georgia as a “striking example” of what she described as a successful “internal takeover of the state.”

Speaking at a European People’s Party (EPP) meeting, the Lithuanian MEP and European Parliament rapporteur on Georgia said the “country’s slide toward authoritarianism under the influence of Bidzina Ivanishvili”, the billionaire founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, represented not just a regional concern but a broader threat to European security and democratic resilience.

“Georgia is no longer just a Georgian issue,” Juknevičienė said. “It is a warning for all of Europe. What we are seeing is a Kremlin method of internal state capture – and this infection can spread.”

She pointed to Georgia’s October 2024 parliamentary elections as a turning point, describing them as marred by repression, politically motivated arrests, and the silencing of dissent.

“Georgia, once a reliable partner of Europe, is becoming Putin’s puppet,” she said. “This is not just a tragedy for Georgians, but a strategic loss for Europe, particularly in the Black Sea region.”

Juknevičienė called for immediate sanctions on Ivanishvili and others she accused of undermining Georgian democracy. “The de-Bidzinization of Georgia is our investment in the future of Europe,” she said.