Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze comes out and smugly says, “We have nothing to change” — the response we heard from Kobakhidze is absolutely disgraceful, said Ana Buchukuri, one of the leaders of the party For Georgia, commenting on Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement that:

“Georgia is not a school student for someone to give it homework for the autumn. Georgia is a dignified state. If anything was damaged in U.S.-Georgia relations, it was damaged entirely by the previous U.S. administration.”

Speaking on Palitranews’ program Resume, Buchukuri stated that when the United States says Georgia must take steps to restore relations, it is asking for the bare minimum, yet the Prime Minister is indicating that the same policies will continue.

“When the United States, during meetings, in embassy statements, or in Secretary Rubio’s remarks, says it expects certain steps from the Georgian authorities, it is talking about the minimum. People should not be oppressed because of differing opinions. Democracy should not be dismantled. State institutions should not be weakened. Judges should not be sanctioned by the United States for corruption. People should not be labeled enemies and traitors because of their political views. This is the absolute minimum. That is all. Neither side has anything to exaggerate here; we are talking about the bare minimum.

The response we heard from Kobakhidze is absolutely disgraceful. What is Kobakhidze saying? That they will continue beating and oppressing people, putting pressure on and destroying the media, imprisoning opponents, worsening legislation, and arresting people simply for standing on a sidewalk? They constantly insist that the problem is never with them but always with someone else,” Buchukuri said.

For reference, during a hearing in Congress, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed hope that Washington would see “a change in the current trajectory” in Georgia.

Rubio also stated that the Georgian authorities themselves had asked what would be required to improve relations with the United States, and Washington had provided an answer. He said he hopes progress will be achieved on that basis and that it will be possible to change “not only the trajectory of relations with Georgia, but also their behavior.”