Today, the most pressing issue is the topic of visa-free travel, a “new instrument” in relations with the European Union that could potentially be used against Georgia. We see that they have become active; Tina Bokuchava has mentioned it multiple times, and others are mentioning it too, that the suspension of visa-free travel is one of the things they expect. This benefit is enjoyed by every citizen of Georgia, regardless of who they support, stated Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili during a session of the Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission.
According to her, politicians who “renounced their mandates from the streets” are actively lobbying this issue in Brussels.
“Today, the most pressing issue is the topic of visa-free travel, a ‘new instrument’ in relations with the European Union that could be used against Georgia, and it could be used because our political spectrum, including those organizations and so-called politicians who have already renounced their mandates from the streets, rejected the choice of the Georgian people, and are engaged in street politics, are actively lobbying this issue in Brussels. Last year, during various visits, including, I recall, Samadashvili, Vashadze in Brussels, and, if I’m not mistaken, Zura-Girchi Japaridze, they were actively working on measures that could be used against the ‘Georgian Dream’ government, which, in this case, equates to targeting Georgia itself, because the list of actions they proposed was entirely aimed at harming Georgia’s interests. Back then, if you recall, they had the idea of pushing for the suspension of visa-free travel, but somehow the European side set this idea aside. Perhaps there was some common sense at play, recognizing that this would effectively be a punishment for the Georgian people and should not be activated. Visa-free travel is indeed a significant achievement, one we should take pride in as the ‘Georgian Dream’ government, having accomplished it between 2012 and 2019.
In reality, they needed an issue today that would influence the elections. Whether it will have an impact is another matter. They also thought that denying candidate status would destabilize the ‘Georgian Dream’ government, lead to a change in power, and serve as a basis for a revolution. They may hold similar expectations now and support this idea; perhaps this instrument will be used and is being kept in reserve. We see that they have become active; Tina Bokuchava has mentioned it multiple times, and others are mentioning it too, that they expect the suspension of visa-free travel to be used against Georgia, not just against ‘Georgian Dream.’ This benefit is enjoyed by every citizen of Georgia, regardless of who they support,” Bochorishvili stated.
Additionally, Bochorishvili spoke about the period when she served as the Chairman of the European Integration Committee in the previous convocation of Parliament.
“Relations with the European Union and that experience are particularly interesting politically and in the context we are discussing today. Perhaps my past experiences shaped the fact that, as a member of Parliament, I held the position of Chairman of the European Integration Committee, and for four years, I had the opportunity to contribute to this country’s security, first and foremost, and to its European integration.
That four-year period was very important and significant, especially due to the experiences that clearly highlighted both the threats and challenges facing our country, which have existed but became more evident during those four years. It became clear what processes are taking place regarding Georgia and who is doing what in these processes.
It is unfortunate, on one hand, when you see that your own colleagues, people sitting next to you, who are also called Georgian politicians, are fiercely engaged in fighting against the state. It is truly not pleasant to witness, and I don’t know how it can bring anyone satisfaction. In the two delegations I led (the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee (EU-GEORGIA PAC) delegation and the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly (EURONEST PA) delegation), there were also opposition representatives who had both the legal basis and the opportunity to carry out certain activities. However, these activities were never directed in Georgia’s favor,” stated Maka Bochorishvili.