TBILISI, Georgia
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday condemned a European Commission proposal to suspend visa waivers for Georgian diplomats for alleged violent responses to pro-EU demonstrations.
Kobakhidze addressed the plan at a news conference at the Government Building in Tbilisi. It is set to be discussed in January.
He described it as “unacceptable” and asserted that any decision by the European Commission would not negatively affect Georgia.
“This is clearly an anti-Georgian step,” he said. “It is a very unfortunate attack on the Georgian state.”
Kobakhidze referenced a report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) about the country’s Oct. 26 parliamentary elections.
He evaluated the report as generally positive. “Overall, the OSCE/ODIHR report clearly indicates that the elections were free and competitive. This conclusion can be drawn from the report’s overall content,” he said.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and opposition parties, meanwhile, who have called for new elections, argued that the report supports their stance on election reruns.
The comments come as protests continue in Georgia concerning his decision to suspend EU accession talks for four years.
Kobakhidze announced Nov. 28 that in response to alleged European political interference and extortion with EU funds, Georgia would suspend EU accession talks until 2028, although it would continue working toward membership by 2030.
The decision sparked outrage, with thousands of protesters taking to the streets of Tbilisi.
Georgia’s opposition has accused Russia of interfering in the general elections, which a pro-Russian party won.
Moscow is opposed to Georgia entering the EU.
