Mamuka Mdinaradze, chair of the ruling Georgian Dream faction, criticized the recent decision by the USA regarding the Noble Partner exercise, calling it incomprehensible and expressing hope for future changes based on specific factors.

Mdinaradze emphasized Georgia’s status as an advanced country in terms of democracy and reform implementation.

Responding to questions about responsibility for the decision, Mdinaradze rejected the notion that his party should bear responsibility for decisions made by others. He highlighted the importance of restarting relations and normalizing ties, particularly in addressing visa difficulties affecting Georgian citizens.

“We are discussing the need to reset relations and normalize matters, especially concerning visa difficulties which the majority of Georgians face. Since the early 2000s, many countries with far less interaction have received a higher visa approval rate than Georgia.

We talk about free trade and flights, but we receive responses like, ‘cancelled the exercises.’ Subsequently, if someone suggests this is the US interfering in Georgian elections, you might ask whether I agree. While such doubts may be legitimate, we do not delve into such depths of speculation. We find such decisions at least incomprehensible, especially given Georgia’s advancements in democracy and reforms, placing it ahead of other EU candidate countries.”

I believe that such decisions, including similar ones, will likely undergo changes in the coming months, influenced by specific factors,” he stated.

Mdinaradze clarified that no one from Georgian Dream has accused the US or the European Union of hostility and denied any rhetoric labelling the US as a ‘global war party.’

On July 5, the US Department of State announced the indefinite postponement of the Noble Partner exercise in Georgia, originally scheduled for July 25 – August 6, 2024, as part of the US-Georgia relationship review.