FM: No anti-western rhetoric, only responses to Brussels bureaucracy actions

The EU has no restrictions on the allocation of funding. This is a decision made by them, which was also used as an instrument in relations with Georgia, Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili told Georgian journalists in Armenia.

Her comments followed remarks by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, who said in Yerevan that the EU has “issues with Georgia, considering that the government has not taken the necessary steps, despite declaring its desire to join the European Union. It appears they are moving in the wrong direction, which also limits our ability to support them with funding.”

“We remember very well how statements were made from the EU bureaucracy about suspending certain programs, which were then used to shape a political agenda inside the country and provoke certain reactions. No funding from Georgia has created any problems. Steps must be taken according to rules and laws; there is nothing unusual in this. Laws are adopted based on Georgia’s interests,” Botchorishvili said.

She added that Georgian society understands the reasoning behind legislative decisions and that the government has always been open to dialogue and explanation.

“Our society knows very well why different laws are adopted. They stem from the interests of our country and are aimed at protecting democratic order and stability. If anyone wants additional explanations, we are always ready for dialogue,” Botchorishvili said.

The Foreign Minister also rejected claims of anti-Western rhetoric from Georgian officials, saying that government responses are directed at what she described as unfair criticism or resolutions.

“There is no anti-Western rhetoric on our part. When reactions come from Georgian political circles, they are responses to steps we see from the Brussels bureaucracy. When unjust resolutions are adopted about Georgia, it is impossible for this to remain without response,” she said.

Botchorishvili also pointed to European Parliament resolutions on Georgia over the past four years, saying they contain “disinformation and narratives disconnected from reality.”