European Commission Spokesperson: The EU Ambassador to Georgia has our full support and trust — His statements accurately reflect and respect the EU’s position

The EU Ambassador to Georgia has our full support and trust, and his statements accurately reflect and respect the European Union’s position, said Anita Hipper, Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Commission, during a press conference in Brussels in response to a question from InterpressNews.

When asked how the European Commission responds to statements from the Georgian government accusing ambassadors from European countries — including the EU Ambassador — of interfering in domestic affairs, Hipper stressed that all attacks against the EU Ambassador and EU values are baseless.

“What we see from the Georgian Dream is blatant disinformation and all the attacks against our EU ambassador and our EU values are unfounded. Of Course the EU ambassador to Georgia has our full support and trust, and his statements accurately reflect and respect the EU position,” she said.

In response to another question from Tamar Nutsubidze, editor of “Euroscope,” about how the Commission reacts to Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s critical remarks toward the German Ambassador Peter Fischer and Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry, Hipper emphasized that the EU’s position is clear, and the Georgian government is well aware of Brussels’ response, which has been expressed not only through statements but also through concrete actions.

“Our position has been consistent and very clear towards the Georgian government and the Georgian Dream. The ongoing repressions, the ongoing violence against the civil society, against the journalists, opposition attacks, hate speech, the actual physical violence and detention must stop.

Georgian authorities know perfectly well, which is the message also, because we have made it clear, not only through statements, but also through concrete actions. For instance, we have downgraded all the political contacts at the high level. We have stopped the directed assistance to the Georgian authorities and have redirected this to the civil society.And also, we have put in place for the support in terms of allocating more money to civil society. Then, of course, you are alluding to the visa exemptions and the diplomatic passports that we have. The council decided to suspend this January. So these are concrete actions as a reaction to the repressive regime that the government has put in place,” she stated.