“We fully understand your anger and your desperation,” said EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski.

According to the Ambassador, the EU stands with the Georgian people.

“The European Union stands with you. We fully understand your anger and your desperation. We understand that the European membership of Georgia has been the wish of the vast majority of Georgian people. So far it has also been the expressed wish of every single Georgian government including the last Georgian government.

I understand that the announcements of yesterday took many people by surprise, they were shocked. I understand that the demonstrations were not organized, they were not planned by any political party. This was a spontaneous reaction of Georgians not only in Tbilisi but in many cities around the country.

Of course, we deplore the violence used against peaceful protesters. This is absolutely unacceptable. In any democracy, people should have the right to peacefully express their views,” he said.

Pawel Herczynski remarked that the situation is “very serious” since the developments go against the will of the majority of Georgians.

“The European Integration process is fully voluntary. It is for the country interested in joining the EU to apply, to meet the conditions, and to negotiate with the EU. On our side we are open, we are ready, we have given Georgia the status of a candidate country, we want Georgia to go forward, we want Georgia to proceed and to take advantage of the opening of the European Union to the East. The other two countries of the Trio – Ukraine and Moldova are going fast forward. They are already negotiating with the EU on conditions of membership.

Yesterday we heard that Georgia stopped its interest in pursuing European integration for long 4 years. This is a very serious situation and as I understand it goes against the will of the vast majority of Georgian people and all pronouncements of the previous Georgian governments. But again, Georgia is an independent sovereign country and it is for Georgians to decide if they want to go toward the European Union or go somewhere else.

We are here, we are ready. You can use all the instruments at our disposal to help Georgia to move forward towards EU membership. Let me repeat the words of President Ursula von der Leyen that she pronounced two years ago: Georgia belongs to the European family. The European family will not be full, complete without Georgia” he said.

On November 28, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced at the briefing: “Today we decided not to put the issue of opening negotiations with the EU on the agenda until the end of 2028. We also refuse any budgetary grants from the EU until the end of 2028.”