Gov’t 'intentionally isolating’ Georgia from west, opposition

Tina Bokuchava, Chairwoman of the Unity - National Movement, on Friday accused the government of “intentionally isolating” Georgia from the international community. Speaking out against what she described as a pro-Russian, pro-Iranian, and pro-China stance, Bokuchava argued that the “current regime is pushing the country into the arms of authoritarian regimes while sidelining Georgia’s European ambitions.”

"Under [Bidzina] Ivanishvili's regime, the only 'partners' for Georgia seem to be the occupier Russia, Iran, which is hostile to the United States, and communist China. These are the 'friends' Ivanishvili has chosen for the country," said Bokuchava.

The criticism came after an informal session of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Warsaw, where all EU candidate countries, except Georgia, were invited. 

Salome Samadashvili, leader of the Strong Georgia coalition, voiced similar concerns, noting that Georgia had been excluded from discussions on EU enlargement for some time. 

"Until we change the government and hold new parliamentary elections, all cooperation formats with Georgia will be gradually abolished," Samadashvili warned. She further emphasized that the EU had made it clear that Georgia's EU accession process would remain stalled as long as Ivanishvili's regime remained in power.

Opposition leaders argued that under a democratic and pro-European government, Georgia would not only have attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council session, but would have already begun negotiations for full EU membership.