“Unfortunately, what is happening in Georgia is not according to the European understanding of democracy and democratic rules,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said in Brussels ahead of the European Council meeting.

“I am a little bit upset about the recent developments in Georgia, because there is a lot of empathy in my country. Although Georgia is far away from Lithuania, we have very close ties—emotional, historical, and traditional ties. It is regrettable to see that Georgia is not coming closer; Georgia is distancing itself from the European Union. Until they do not realise that the rules of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law should be respected, I think the situation will be very complicated. This would be a disappointment for the Georgian people, who are expecting that country to make progress towards the European Union,” Nausėda said.