EU's Kallas, 17 European FMs ‘Disturbed, Deeply Concerned' Over Georgia's ‘Deteriorating Situation'
The
joint statement
, issued on July 11, came from the foreign ministers of Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the EU High Representative.
The European leaders said, 'We strongly condemn the recent, politically motivated, imprisonment and detention of the leaders of Georgian opposition, clearly designed to stifle political opposition in Georgia, a few months ahead of the local elections.'
'Their detention, as well as arbitrary arrests and increasing repression of other Georgian authorities` critics, representatives of civil society, peaceful protesters and independent journalists, contribute to dismantling of democracy in Georgia and rapid transformation towards an authoritarian system, in contradiction to European norms and values,' they said.
'Recent legislative changes aim at stifling independent civil society and legitimate protest,' they added.
The statement said Georgian authorities' 'political repression' has led to what they described as a 'considerable downgrading' of relations with Georgia, including 'reduction of assistance and cooperation with Georgian authorities.'
The European leaders called the Georgian government's course 'authoritarian' and 'anti-European,' saying it 'threatens Georgia's democratic achievements and relations with our countries.'
'We will continue to call out Georgian authorities' undemocratic actions and violations of human rights and will not hesitate to make use of the range of unilateral and multilateral tools available to us should Georgian authorities continue to take steps that erode Georgia's democracy and respect for human rights,' the statement said.
'It is not too late to reverse course,' the leaders added, urging Georgian authorities to 'immediately release unjustly detained politicians, journalists and activists, to reverse repressive legislation and to engage in a national dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to find a way out of the current situation.'
Also Read:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Civil.ge
an hour ago
- Civil.ge
GD Brushes Aside European Criticism, Saying EU, UK Are Ruled by ‘Deep State'
Georgian Dream's political council issued a statement saying Europe finds itself in 'democratic backsliding' and 'value crisis', and accused the EU and UK of being ruled by 'Deep State'. The reaction comes in response to a strongly worded statement by foreign ministers of 17 EU states and the EU High Representative, expressing deep concerns over the 'deteriorating situation' in Georgia while telling the GD leadership, 'it is not too late to reverse course.' It also comes two days before EU foreign ministers are set to discuss Georgia and 'consider possible measures in response to the growing repression by the authorities.' In the lengthy, conspiracy-laden July 13 letter , Georgian Dream called the foreign ministers' statement 'another blatant and unfair attack on Georgian people and Georgian democracy,' arguing it was filled with 'Soviet-style disinformation and false accusations.' 'The orchestrated attack against Georgian people, which took on a new meaning after October 26 [parliamentary vote], has a single reason – Georgian people didn't allow the return to power of 'Deep State' agents, collective [United National Movement], which was oppenly supported by EU Ambassador in Georgia and specific European and American officials,' GD said, referring to a 'deep state' conspiracy theory involving a group of influential officials in the West, a narrative the ruling party has repeatedly invoked in its rhetoric. Georgian Dream said that the statement by European ministers 'reminds us how deeply rooted the informal rule of 'Deep State' is in the vast majority of EU countries and Great Britain, under which the European bureaucracy no longer has any moral limit.' According to GD, these states pursue a single foreign policy: unless a state is ruled by 'deep state agents,' it is subjected to 'constant attacks from European officials.' 'On the basis of 'Brexit', a third, separate center was established that serves the realization the global agenda of the 'Deep State'' – Georgian Dream's Political Council 'The only thing they cannot forgive Georgia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia, is precisely their independence and sovereignty,' the statement says. Georgia's ruling party said in the statement that Europe today is experiencing 'democratic backsliding and value crisis,' noting that 'uncontrolled migration, pseudoliberal propaganda, the diminishing of state and religious institutions strip Europe of its identity at a rapid pace.' It also says that 'non-recognition of electoral victories of undesirable parties and candidates, political persecution of opponents, total restriction of media freedom has become a norm today.' The statement also advances a theory that the 'deep state' has 'removed' Great Britain from the EU with a 'concrete objective': 'On the basis of 'Brexit', a third, separate center was established [alongside EU and the U.S.] that serves the realization of the global agenda of 'Deep State'.' The party expresses the hope that US President Donald Trump will be able to keep his promise and defeat the 'Deep State,' which, GD says, will also return sovereignty to European countries. 'We again wish Donald Trump success in this important job,' the GD says, noting that if 'Deep State' isn't defeated and instead only undergoes 'rebranding,' it will lead to further weakening of Europe and continued attacks on the Georgian people and democracy. GD also addressed the criticism voiced by European foreign ministers in their July 11 statement, condemning, among other things, 'politically motivated' jailings of opposition leaders and 'arbitrary arrests' of other critics. The ruling party dismisses accusations that the jailings of opposition leaders are 'politically motivated' and 'designed to stifle political opposition' months before local elections as 'disinformation.' Eight persons, including six leaders of opposition parties, have been sentenced to months in jail over their failure to appear at the Georgian Dream's parliamentary commission ('Tsulukiani Commission'). The GD says only two of out of the jailed leaders – Lelo's Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze – were planning to run in the municipal vote, slated for October 4, and argued that the law that led to their impisonment has been adopted three decades ago and 'is in full accordance with European practice and standards.' In this context, the GD statement also refers to the July 4 statement by Georgian Dream President Mikheil Kavelashvili pledging to pardon jailed political leaders, given that they promise to run in local elections. 'If the legal prosecution of politicians has taken on political overtones anywhere, it is precisely in Germany and France' – Georgian Dream's Political Council As for the critism about 'arbitrary arrests' of activists, GD calls it 'the lustration of the fact' about 'external' support of 'the attempt to overthrow the government and brutal violence by demonstrators' in November and December 2024, referring to mass protests that erupted following the GD announcement on halting EU integration. 'Everyone is well aware that the violent attempt at overthrowing the legitimate government was intransparently funded by USAID, NED, EED, and other similar funds, and was openly supported by concrete European and former American officials,' the statement reads. GD adds that in countries such as Great Britain, Germany, France, Sweden, and Spain, multi-year prison sentences are prescribed for assaults on police officers. Responding to European ministers' calls to 'reverse repressive legislation,' Georgian Dream's political council argued that the laws in question aim to 'prevent violation of Georgia sovereignty and the weakening of state institutions with external funding.' The party says the laws 'are in full accordance with legal principles and standards.' In its statement, Georgian Dream also accused Germany and France of persecuting political opponents. 'If the legal prosecution of politicians has taken on political overtones anywhere, it is precisely in Germany and France,' the party said, adding that 'given the persecution of major opposition parties and their leaders in Germany and France, the talk of political persecution on their part is, to put it mildly, laughable.' In the same context, the GD letter also cites developments in Romania, where, the party says, the frontrunner in the first round of presidential elections faced the annulment of the vote, criminal prosecution, and a ban on participation. 'It is important for everyone to recognize that just as Georgia needs Europe, the EU no less needs Georgia,' the statement concluded. The GD government has faced continued Western criticism as dozens of individuals in Georgia, including activists, journalists, and political leaders, have been sentenced or are awaiting verdicts on charges widely seen as politically motivated. Meanwhile, no police officers have been held accountable, despite multiple documented abuses during the early weeks of anti-Georgian Dream protests that began in late November.
Civil.ge
a day ago
- Civil.ge
Sweden Summons Georgian Diplomat Over Human Rights Concerns
On July 11, the Georgian chargé d'affaires was summoned to the Swedish Foreign Ministry, 'where a senior official expressed serious concern regarding the human rights situation in Georgia,' Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard wrote in a social media post. In the same post on X, Stenergard also noted her country's inclusion in the July 11 joint statement by 17 foreign ministers from European countries and EU High Representative, in which the leaders said they are 'disturbed' and 'deeply concerned' at the 'deteriorating situation' in Georgia, citing the jailings of opposition politicians and government critics, among others. On June 30, the British Foreign Office summoned the Georgian chargé d'affaires to protest what it called the Georgian Dream government's crackdown on civil society, independent media, and political opposition, warning of potential further action if democratic standards are not upheld. The EU Foreign Affairs Council, set to meet on July 15, will discuss the situation in Georgia and 'consider possible measures in response to the growing repression by the authorities,' the European Council agenda says . Also Read:
Civil.ge
a day ago
- Civil.ge
Former American Diplomat and Expat Denied Entry into Georgia
Maggie Osdoby Katz, a former U.S. diplomat who had long lived and worked in Tbilisi as a political and civic consultant, said she was denied entry to Georgia in what appears to be part of a broader pattern of border rejections affecting activists, journalists, and human rights defenders, among others. 'No questions asked. No reason given,' Katz wrote in a July 12 Facebook post, saying border authorities told her to leave and checked 'other' on a form – likely referring to the vague explanation 'other cases envisaged under Georgian legislation' commonly cited in similar cases. She added she was en route back to Istanbul after being returned from the Georgia border. 'Twenty-seven years of living, visiting, and supporting my beloved heart home. My heart is broken.' Katz , a former U.S. diplomat, has worked with Georgian non-governmental organizations on capacity-building and civic engagement. After USAID halted funding to local civil society organizations in 2025, Katz launched an independent fundraising campaign. By April, she said she had raised over USD 10,000, which was distributed among three local organizations. The latest incident follows a growing number of similar cases over the past year. In May, active EU diplomat Simon Vanderbroucke was denied entry at the Georgian border. It was the first known case involving a sitting diplomat. Georgian authorities cited a 'technical problem' and said he could return to continue his work with the EU mission. Other refusals have primarily targeted activists and journalists, some of whom had lived in Georgia for years, and who allege their political criticism of the Georgian Dream government was behind their rejection. In late May, the Polish and French embassies in Georgia advised their citizens to consider factors that could lead to entry denial before traveling, including participation in ongoing protests and social media activity. Also Read:
