“The responsibility for not using this historic opportunity for EU enlargement lies entirely with Georgian Dream, which has traded the Georgian people’s European future for prolonging its hold on power — this is a betrayal of our country, our people and the national interest,” Giorgi Sharashidze, MP for the party Gakharia — For Georgia, said at a briefing.

He added that Georgian Dream is once again attempting to discredit Georgia’s European partners in the eyes of the Georgian people.

The party is urging the European Union to take all steps necessary to ensure that, despite Georgian Dream’s failure to meet its obligations, Georgians do not lose the visa-free travel regime with Europe.

“We, the party Gakharia — For Georgia, are responding to the European Commission’s enlargement report, which — as expected — contains the most critical and negative assessment in recent years regarding democratic backsliding in Georgia and a sharp departure from the EU’s fundamental values.

“Unfortunately, after Giorgi Gakharia resigned as prime minister in 2021, Georgian Dream dramatically changed course away from the pro-Western path and deliberately began to undermine Georgia’s European prospects. That has led us to the sad reality where Georgia — which, under Gakharia’s leadership as part of an associated trio, was a leading country closer to EU standards by democratic progress — is today the only candidate-country to receive a negative assessment from the EU. Five years ago no one could have imagined that the enlargement agenda would place Georgia behind other candidates.

“We place full responsibility for missing this historic enlargement opportunity on Georgian Dream, which has substituted the Georgian people’s European future for its own extension in power. Sadly, there is no other way to describe this deliberate act by Georgian Dream than as a betrayal of the country’s, the people’s and the state’s national interests.

“Georgian Dream is once again trying to deliberately discredit our European partners in the eyes of the Georgian people. Its sole purpose is to cover up its crimes and to create an image of the EU as an enemy in order to retain power and isolate the country, because democracy and Georgian Dream’s authoritarianism are utterly incompatible.

“The European Union is the civilizational choice of the Georgian people. A strong and just state is only possible within the European space, while Georgian Dream is deliberately distancing us from that space, depriving us of a dignified future, arresting and hindering the country’s development and the achievement of our strategic goals.

“Our aim is to prevent Georgian Dream from discrediting the European idea; to restore and strengthen parliamentary work and to reinforce a democratic, civic politics in line with European standards as a healthy alternative to the radicalization and violence introduced by irresponsible politicians.

“We call on the European Union, despite Georgian Dream’s failure to meet its commitments, to do everything in its power to ensure that Georgians do not lose visa-free travel to Europe. We also remind Georgian Dream that the Georgian people and history will hold it to account for the cynical attempt to squander this historic opportunity,” Sharashidze said.