“‘Georgian Dream’ will not fulfill any conditions until August, but the EU will not abruptly suspend visa liberalization—the cancellation of visa-free travel, according to the report, will happen in October-November,” said political scientist Paata Zakareishvili on PalitraNews’s program “Day’s Newsroom,” commenting on the European Commission’s letter, which outlines specific steps that must be taken to prevent the suspension of Georgia’s visa liberalization.

According to Zakareishvili, the EU must make its decision based on the report, so any harsh political decisions will only be made after the local elections.

Zakareishvili stated that “‘Georgian Dream’ has blinded its eyes and is heading toward the local elections by instinct.”

The political scientist believes that after the local elections are held, the government will release the prisoners.

“Everything ‘Georgian Dream’ says is a bluff and should be dismissed outright. ‘Georgian Dream’ is doing the following—it is heading toward the local elections. Its eyes are blinded, its ears are deafened, and it is moving toward the elections by instinct. It operates only on the level of instinct and needs to seize power somehow after the local elections.

The EU has set a deadline for the end of August, then September begins, and the elections are on October 4. They will not fulfill any conditions. Then the EU will not abruptly cancel visa liberalization. In October-November, there will be a report stating that the conditions were not met, and only then will visa liberalization be canceled. In other words, the decision must be made based on the report, so any harsh political decisions will only be made after the elections. The same fate awaits the ‘MEGOBARI Act’ in the U.S.—it won’t be implemented before the elections. ‘Georgian Dream’ knows this very well, hypocritically and cunningly, and is calmly following this path. As soon as the elections are held, they will release the prisoners. Logically, it seems that they don’t need so many prisoners. They will lower the temperature after the elections. ‘Georgian Dream’ is calmly and quietly fulfilling its tasks while destroying all democratic foundations around it,” Zakareishvili stated.

When asked why the European Commission’s letter does not explicitly demand the release of detained politicians or protesters, Zakareishvili responded that there is likely already an agreement between the EU and ‘Georgian Dream,’ and the government has committed to releasing some of the prisoners before the elections.

He further speculated that ‘Georgian Dream’ will release prisoners before the elections once it is certain that the ‘United National Movement’ coalition is indeed not participating in the local elections.

“I think there is already an agreement between the EU and ‘Georgian Dream,’ and they have committed to releasing some prisoners before the elections. It is clear that ‘Georgian Dream’ is lowering the temperature to ensure a boycott. Half of the opposition is participating in the local elections, and half is not. If they are convinced that the ‘United National Movement’ coalition is truly not participating in the elections, this will likely become clear by the end of August. Then, I think, they might release some prisoners before the elections, probably starting with the youth. Before that, they will raise the temperature, treat them disgustingly, try them harshly, impose significant sentences, and then this de facto president will come out and grant pardons,” the political scientist noted.

Additionally, during the program, he addressed reports that Georgia has obstructed the import of liquefied gas from Russia to Armenia, stating that Russia is strangling the Armenian economy through Georgia’s hands. According to him, Russia is trying its utmost to suppress Armenia through others’ hands, and those hands belong to Georgia.

“The cargo passing through our country’s territory has nothing to do with Georgia. If the cargo is properly packaged, Georgia transports it. This has been the case for years, especially with regard to Armenia, toward which we have always had a special attitude. Suddenly, strange things have started happening recently. For example, Russia suddenly began stopping Armenian cognac and checking its quality. What business is it of yours to check the quality of cognac when it’s not entering your country?! Tensions are rising between Russia and Armenia. Russia has pro-Russian forces in Armenia and does not want them weakened, so it is trying its utmost to suppress Armenia through others’ hands, making them feel, ‘You better behave, or worse will come.’ Unfortunately or tragically, those hands belong to Georgia. We are the gloves of the Russian empire. The empire has put Georgia on its hands, and we are strangling the Armenian economy today. This is utterly unacceptable and immoral,” Zakareishvili stated.