The European Union condemns political repression, including against opposition leaders, journalists, and civil activists, and calls on the government to immediately and unconditionally release all illegally detained persons, - stated EU Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra during the debates on Georgia in the European Parliament, noting that he is speaking on behalf of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.

He also stated that the European Union calls on the Georgian government to uphold the basic principles of democracy, a key part of which is political pluralism.

According to him, ultimately, the European Union remains ready to hold accountable those responsible for the "significant democratic backsliding" and human rights violations in Georgia.

"The human rights situation in Georgia, as many have noted, continues to deteriorate. The Georgian government is deliberately leading the country toward autocracy; they are undermining basic democratic principles and international human rights standards.

Recent laws that restrict foreign funding and political activity, combined with violence against demonstrators and the imprisonment of journalists, activists, and opposition figures, very clearly show that the government is disregarding the rule of law, democracy, and fundamental freedoms. This is not what the European Union - and more importantly, what Georgians - expect from a government that still claims to aspire to EU membership.

So my first message to the Georgian government is: with such actions and such laws, Georgia truly has no viable path to EU membership. Not by 2030, as the government claims, and not ever, if this course continues.

Within the framework of international law, Georgia has an obligation to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights and fundamental freedoms. Yet what we are seeing is a systematic attack on democratic institutions and severe, unjustified, and unlawful restrictions on these rights.

Second - the European Union expresses its solidarity with all those who have been illegally detained, mistreated, and imprisoned over the past two years, including Elene Khoshtaria.

The European Union condemns political repression, including against opposition leaders, journalists, and civil activists, and calls on the government to immediately and unconditionally release all illegally detained persons.

Torture and ill-treatment are completely prohibited under international law, and impunity for violations committed by law enforcement must end. Opposition leaders have faced violence and arrests, and constitutional prohibitions are approaching. Such repressive tactics resemble those of authoritarian countries aimed at silencing dissenting voices and political opponents.

The European Union calls on the Georgian government to uphold the basic principles of democracy, a key part of which is political pluralism.

Ultimately, the European Union remains ready to hold accountable those responsible for the significant democratic backsliding and human rights violations in Georgia. Last week, you decided to suspend visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic, official, and service passports. And this is a response to Georgia's deliberate and persistent violations of the commitments on democracy and fundamental rights it undertook when it received visa-free travel," - stated Hoekstra.