Lithuanian MEP Petras Auštrevičius assesses the recent developments in Georgia in an exclusive interview with Interpressnews.

Auštrevičius believes that the EU countries have underestimated the plans of the Georgian Dream government, which aims to distance Georgia from the European path.

According to him, the only option left for the EU now is to isolate the Georgian government, and this should continue until new elections are called in the country.

The MEP explains that the EU countries do not aim to punish the Georgian people, but also notes that ultimately the ongoing processes will have a negative impact on the daily lives of the population.

What steps should the Georgian Dream take to improve relations with the European Union and return to the path of European integration, and whether the European Union intends to impose more regulations on the Georgian government - Petras Auštrevičius discussed these and other issues in an exclusive interview with Interpressnews.

Citizens and representatives of various sectors gather on Rustaveli Avenue for more than 70 days. The participants are demanding: the appointment of new elections and the release of those detained during the protests. Mr. Auštrevičius, how would you evaluate the latest development in Georgia? What are your comments about the protests and the arrest of participants of the demonstrations, including media representatives?

Frankly, I didn't believe that the situation might go as bad as it does. But probably we didn't estimate, and we underestimated Georgia Dream leadership plans to wrap down, to roll down Georgia's European path perspective. They have a different scenario, a scenario of authoritarian regime, sorry to say, with no pluralistic society, with no different opinions, with no vibrant opposition. It's absolutely Russian way, Eastern way. It's very bad news for Georgian people because the impact will be absolutely devastating. And it is already. I can tell you that we cut down all the official contracts with the Georgia Dream. I myself, see no way back. I mean, with those people in power. Next week, we will have a resolution on Georgia. I expect a very clear language once again. What I really wish is to see, member states, follow that line. There is no individual approach or different relationship between some capitals and Tbilisi. We have to understand that this is really a breaking point in Georgia's history. Either we restore the policies we had before and relationship, or Georgia goes really East. They have absolutely unpredictable consequences.

There are a lot of debates and opinions in the EU institutions and capitals about further steps and imposing restrictions on Georgia’s ruling party. On 27 January, the European Council made a decision to suspend visa-free travel for diplomats and officials from Georgia. Many countries imposed personal sanctions on the Georgian Dream leaders. Do you think that the EU should impose more regulations on the leadership of Georgia?

It's not enough. Suspension of diplomatic passports, it's good, but it's not enough. We have to cut down a lot of cooperational projects and policy lines, even isolation. Isolation, of course, is very painful for people, and a country will feel it. But to fight authoritarian dictatorship regimes, you have to do something. As we do it against Belarus and Russia, sorry to say, Georgia is falling into the category of those countries. We didn't want to see this happening, but that's a choice of Bidzina Ivanishvili and Irakli Kobakhidze. Ask them why they do this. I think we have to be more isolationists in this regard.

Let me specify, you mean to isolate the country and Georgian people or just the government?

The government, of course. I'm not speaking about removing a visa-free regime, but of course, nobody from an entourage of the leadership of Georgian Dream should come to Western countries. No way. They have to go to Moscow; they have to go to Minsk. Their partners are there, not in Brussels, not in Vilnius.

Do you see any chance of de-escalation from the situation? What are the steps that Georgia Dream should take in order to improve the relationship with the European Union and return to its European integration path?

Elections. There are very basic things. They made a mistake. They made a mistake. There was fraud during the elections, a lot of administrative power, a lot of intimidation, and even violence was used against independent observers and opposition figures. Look, they have to pay a price, and they have to come up with a plan. We said, we mentioned many times in our resolutions what has to be done. No response from Tbilisi. The ball is in Tbilisi’s court.

And my final question is, what would you say to Georgian people who have been standing at demonstrations for more than 70 days, and they're asking for their free choice and European integration, which is supported by a considerable majority of the population?

Don't get disillusioned. Don't get fooled around by the official propaganda of the ruling party. I hope Georgians are common sense people. They see things as they go. There is a lot of danger in official propaganda, speaking about this war or peace, and so on and so forth. It's designed not by Georgians but by Putin's regime. So that's why people should really be more selective and recognize real threats. In Kremlin, there are people, very smart people who understand PR and communication well. They know that Georgians are afraid, and they have still memories from 2008. And they simply use that argument, and they use that rhetoric in order to increase social pressure and uncertainty. But we do it knowingly. They do it on purpose. So that's why don't follow Kremlin's propaganda, which sometimes speak Georgian language.

Beka Beriashvili

Correspondent of Interpressnews from Brussels