Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze declared Thursday he would expel the EU Ambassador from Georgia if given the authority, citing interference in domestic affairs and disrespect for Georgian statehood.

“If it were up to me, I would expel the EU Ambassador, because, first and foremost, respect must be shown to Georgian statehood,” Kaladze told journalists, describing the ambassador’s conduct as “the greatest misfortune” facing the country.

The mayor accused the EU official representative of carrying out external assignments rather than acting independently, claiming he “voices what he is told” and uses his diplomatic status to cause harm.

“The greatest misfortune is the things we hear, particularly from the EU Ambassador, including comments made during the election process. I don’t know when he made such a statement, but if he indeed did, he should be expelled from the country. This, of course, reflects the ongoing policy toward Georgia.

Personally, I have no personal animosity towards him; he’s a normal person. However, the EU Ambassador is abusing his position and causing harm. Obviously, he’s carrying out an assignment, voicing the messages he’s been instructed to deliver,” Kakha Kaladze stated.

Responding to a question of whether the recall of the EU Ambassador from Georgia would be considered, Tbilisi Mayor clarified that this is solely his personal opinion and that no such issue is currently under discussion.

“This reflects my personal attitude and perspective on this specific issue. If it were up to me, I would expel him, because above all, respect for Georgian statehood must be upheld. The EU Ambassador, like any country’s ambassador, has no right to interfere in Georgia’s internal political affairs or to foster societal division and polarisation. Do I have any personal grievances against him? No. He holds a diplomatic status as the EU representative and an official in the country. However, I urge him to refrain from making statements filled with lies and falsehoods, statements that incite extremism, spread evil, and contribute to the misfortunes facing our nation,” Kakha Kaladze stated.

Kaladze framed potential EU visa-free travel cancellation as part of ongoing “blackmail” against the Georgian people, arguing that EU statements about Georgia are based on “slander and lies.”

“This is not the first case. Threats and blackmail continue. The statements we hear are based on slander and lies. In general, the statements we heard regarding the two laws have absolutely no link to visa liberalisation. They have been claiming all along that [EU] candidate status should be granted to the Georgian people. Yet today, they propose an initiative that would strip away the benefits linked to visa liberalisation, depriving the Georgian people of what they have rightfully gained.

Kakha Kaladze claimed the European Union has no genuine interest in Georgia or its people, seeking only to “use Georgia and the Georgian people for their big political games and to advance their own interests, as they did with Ukraine.”

The mayor insisted that legitimate government change must occur through elections rather than “coups and revolutions.”

“If someone seeks a change of government, it must happen through elections, not through coups or revolutions. Elections are the civilized way to express your will, to vote for who you support, and to ensure a peaceful transfer of power. However, the EU bureaucracy was unhappy with the results of the October 26 elections. Having been defeated, they are now using every means, manipulation, confrontation, and polarisation to attempt a state coup. All the misfortunes faced by our country are driven by Western bureaucracy, with their funding, support, and financial influence,” stated Tbilisi Mayor.