Georgian Dream continues to ignore repeated appeals from the EU to return to its pledged democratic path, uphold fundamental rights, ensure an independent judiciary, and respect the rule of law, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says in a statement.

A year has passed since representatives of Georgian Dream halted Georgia’s EU accession process, steering the country further away from democratic values, international obligations, the rule of law, and the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people.

During this time, hundreds of peaceful protesters across Georgia have been detained and imprisoned, while dozens of others continue to face arbitrary legal proceedings, some even amounting to criminal charges. Diplomats and civil servants who opposed Georgian Dream’s attempt to alter the country’s geopolitical course - by signing a petition against suspending EU integration - have been dismissed and left without employment.

Throughout this period, human rights and fundamental freedoms in Georgia have been severely restricted. Independent media and civil society organizations have been oppressed, while opposition parties and their leaders have faced efforts by the ruling party to outlaw and even “ban” them.

These developments not only violate the provisions of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, particularly its Article 2, but also place Georgia far below the standards expected of an EU candidate country. This was confirmed by the latest EU enlargement report, which highlighted backsliding across the nine benchmarks underpinning Georgia’s candidate status.

Georgian Dream continues to ignore repeated appeals from the EU to return to its pledged democratic path, uphold fundamental rights, ensure an independent judiciary, and respect the rule of law. Instead, it has disseminated disinformation targeting the EU and its Member States, accompanied by increasingly hostile Kremlin-style rhetoric.

Amid these troubling developments, Lithuania has consistently stood with the Georgian people. We have raised Georgia’s issue in our EU meetings in Brussels and in other international organizations, advocating for a principled and united response. Regrettably, due to the obstructive stance of some Member States, none of the perpetrators have been sanctioned by the EU. Nevertheless, Lithuania has imposed national sanctions on 112 individuals.

Today, I express my solidarity with the Georgian people- including our fellow diplomats and civil servants dismissed for signing the petition against suspending EU integration - and with all peaceful protesters who have not ceased, even for a single day, to fearlessly demonstrate their commitment to a democratic Georgia and its European future. We will continue to stand by your side!” reads the statement.