The Government of Georgia lies about its support within the EU due to its authoritarian drift… and Spain, Romania and Italy remind it

This Tuesday, Spain, Italy and Romania denied the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobajidze, after he thanked Spain and four other European Union countries for opposing the sanctions put on the table to respond to the authoritarian drift in Georgia. The foreign ministers of the 27 had on the table this Monday the option of adopting sanctions against those responsible for the internal repression in Georgia, but it was frustrated only by Budapest – Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, in addition, holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU – and Bratislava.

The Spanish Government has insisted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, supported applying sanctions against Tbilisi. “The statements of the Georgian Government about the position defended by Spain in the Foreign Affairs Council yesterday are not true,” Foreign Affairs sources explained to Europa Press, while emphasizing that Albares was explicit in supporting the measures and, that together with the majority of EU Member States, Spain defends adopting sanctions against Tbilisi.

Spain has explicitly condemned the repression of citizen demonstrations, the sources emphasize, after an official message from the Georgian Government has pointed out Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Romania and Spain for “defending the interest of the Georgian people in the Council of the EU”.

Upon arrival at the meeting, Albares regretted the decisions of the Georgian authorities to pause the European path until 2028 and pointed out that the right to demonstrate, freedom of expression and not using violence against protesters, is something “unavoidable” and about which that the EU “must be very vigilant.”

The Italian Government has responded along the same lines: “During the Foreign Affairs Council debate on the situation in Georgia, Italy – reiterating its strongest condemnation of all acts of violence that have occurred in the country in recent weeks – expressed its support for the measures proposed by the HR/ VP Kallas, including the sanctions proposals (which were blocked due to lack of consensus by other Member States).” Italy also joined the consensus on the proposal to suspend the agreement for the facilitation of diplomatic visas, a proposal that was approved. Finally, Italy reiterated that the European Union must be at the side of the Georgian people and expressed its wish that the latest decisions taken in Tbilisi, which have ended up de facto suspending the European path, be reviewed.”

The Romanian Executive also responded to the Georgian: “We are deeply disappointed by the inaccurate presentation of internal debates at EU level. “We take this opportunity to reiterate our deep concern about the Georgian Government’s decision on EU accession dialogue and the violent repression of the legitimate protests of Georgians.”

The foreign ministers of the 27 had on the table this Monday the option of adopting sanctions against those responsible for the internal repression in Georgia, a step that frustrated Hungary and Slovakia and for which the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, chose to ask the European Commission to propose limiting diplomatic and service visas.

Although a proposal from the European Executive is first needed, this measure can be approved by a qualified majority, which would allow the EU to overcome the reluctance of member states that have opposed the proposed sanctions against Georgian officials and against the ruler. Georgian Dream.

The authoritarian drift in Georgia after the repression of protests and the crisis opened by the legislative elections last October marked by alleged irregularities has generated criticism from the EU and some countries such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have imposed their own sanctions against Georgian leaders. , which in full conflict with Brussels have announced that they are freezing the EU accession negotiations until 2028.

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