Senior ruling party MP criticizes Euronest for ‘political bias,’ withdraws from Yerevan session

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration, Levan Makhashvili, has addressed a formal letter to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, expressing concern over what he described as the body’s increasing political bias and deviation from its founding principles.

In his statement on Monday, Makhashvili said that the recent actions of certain members of the European Parliament within Euronest contradict the principles of partnership, mutual respect, and the goals set out in the Prague Summit Declaration on the Eastern Partnership.

“We are increasingly concerned by the behavior of certain MEPs and of the European Parliament as a whole, whose hostile rhetoric and actions contradict the principles of partnership and mutual respect,” Makhashvili wrote. “Some MEPs are making deliberately distorted and false political statements, siding with their convicted political partners rather than respecting facts, evidence, and the will of the Georgian people.”

Makhashvili accused some European lawmakers of overstepping diplomatic boundaries by joining anti-government protests outside the Georgian Parliament and making statements that, in his view, encouraged “unrest, radicalization, and violence.”

He also criticized the European Parliament and Euronest resolutions on Georgia for “ignoring the democratic will of the Georgian people,” and condemned the decision to invite certain individuals to the plenary session “under the guise of civil society,” claiming that the figures supported attempts to overturn Georgia’s legitimate institutions.

“By granting these individuals a platform, Euronest normalizes and legitimizes anti-democratic behavior and justifies violent or radical political agendas. This contradicts the core values of democracy, rule of law, dialogue, and peace that this institution was created to uphold,” he said.

Makhashvili added that the absence of most partner countries from the upcoming 12th plenary session in Yerevan should serve as a signal that “the European Parliament’s current approach is misguided.”

“The European Parliament must ask itself whether its current steps strengthen regional cooperation or destroy the bridges of partnership,” he wrote. “Its excessively politicized stance undermines both Euronest’s credibility and the partnership between the EU and its associated countries.”

As a result, Makhashvili announced that the Georgian parliamentary delegation has decided not to participate in the Euronest plenary session in Yerevan.

“We call on the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly to reflect on these legitimate concerns and return to the respect of its founding principles. Only through such reconsideration can the Assembly fulfill its true mission and remain a reliable platform for the Eastern Partnership and its member countries,” Makhashvili concluded.