Considering the geopolitical location of our country, the security challenges arising from the occupation of our two regions by Russia, we must be extremely cautious when assessing any process and, even more so, when taking specific foreign policy steps - until Georgia becomes a full member of the European Union, it will be difficult for it to be in full compliance with the EU's foreign policy, - this statement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Botchorishvili from the rostrum of the Parliament

“We will never allow ourselves to create an additional threat to the national interests of our country with the desire to improve simple statistics,” - Maka Botchorishvili stated in this context.

Botchorishvili spoke at length today about the EU's “unfair approaches” and “unfair attitude” towards Georgia.

“The refusal to grant candidate status in June 2022, when candidate status was granted to Ukraine and Moldova, was unjust. The only result of this unjust decision was that it was used to further polarize society and radicalize political processes in Georgia. In 2022, there was no geopolitical or practical basis that would justify this decision.

If the injustice of the EU decision had not become immediately apparent, the European Commission would not have published an analytical report in June 2022, as required by its own procedures, on which the political decision should have been based. The report was published several months late - on February 2, 2023, where the injustice of this decision was already documented,” said Maka Botchorishvili.

According to her, “the European Parliament resolutions are a clear example of unfair treatment.”

“Since 2022, the European Parliament has adopted 10 biased and completely unfair resolutions on Georgia, which go beyond common sense and the minimum standard of objectivity.

The statement about suspending political dialogue is also unfair. While the European Union conducts political dialogue with everyone - with states of all political systems, aspirations, or moods, the policy of shutting down Georgia is unfair and devoid of common sense, especially when you state that you care for the European aspirations of the Georgian people. It should also be said that such an attitude of the EU bureaucracy contradicts the Association Agreement, which also includes the obligation to conduct political dialogue with Georgia in various directions.

As a result of this unfair decision, not a single meeting of the Georgia-EU Association Council, Association Committees, or Subcommittees has been held. The last meeting of the Association Council was held on February 20, 2024, despite the fact that the Georgian side has never refused to engage in dialogue with the EU.

Moreover, when we saw an opportunity to use the human rights dialogue to renew the dialogue between the EU and Georgia, which is an issue that the EU often appeals to, there was a sincere offer to hold a human rights dialogue with Georgia. The Georgian Dream government was ready to hold this dialogue, although the issue was used for manipulation by the EU.

Despite such unfair attitudes from the EU bureaucracy and the imitation of so-called isolation, the Georgian government actively uses the platforms of international organizations, as well as various international forums, bilateral ties, to conduct foreign policy in accordance with Georgia’s national interests and to properly defend our country’s positions,” Maka Botchorishvili said at the plenary session of the Parliament.

Maka Botchorishvili is in the parliament in the format of an interpellation. She is answering questions sent by the faction For Georgia.