MEP Tomasz Froelich: Further double standards are unthinkable; you worry about potential bans on opposition parties in Georgia while wanting to ban Alternative for Germany

“Further double standards are unthinkable. You worry about potential bans on opposition parties in Georgia, while you yourselves want to ban Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Germany or the Europe of Sovereign Nations Party at the European level. Do you even notice this intellectual contradiction? Anyone who attacks democracy in their own country has no right to get worked up over alleged democratic deficits elsewhere,” stated MEP Tomasz Froelich, member of Alternative for Germany, during a debate on Georgia in the European Parliament.

According to the MEP, “we should view Georgia as an important partner, as a bridge to Asia.”

“You make yourselves completely untrustworthy, and this lack of credibility is also reflected in your selective outrage. When more than twenty parties were banned in Ukraine, there was no outcry. On the contrary, you reward Zelenskyy with even more billions. You abuse the concept of human rights for geopolitical reasons to advance your selective moral imperialism—and this selective moral imperialism is costing us credibility on the international stage.

That is also why we are losing global influence. What bothers you about Georgia anyway? The country is actually developing quite well. The facts: eight per cent economic growth. We can only dream of that. In the Chandler Good Government Index, Georgia ranks better than several EU member states, and in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, Georgia ranks first in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

What are we actually talking about here? I’ll tell you: for you, it isn’t about democracy and participation at all. It’s about the fact that Georgia rejects woke madness and LGBT propaganda because it wants to preserve its strong Christian tradition. And it’s about the fact that Georgia refuses to join the sanctions regime against Russia because it does not want to become a second Ukraine.

We must understand this. Georgia is a small country in a difficult neighbourhood: Russia, Iran, Turkey. Under such conditions, Georgia has to act differently than you would prefer. We should take that into account and view Georgia as an important partner and a bridge to Asia.

That is realpolitik. Your confrontational approach only drives Georgia into the arms of foreign hegemonies, and that is not in our interest,” Tomasz Froelich stated.

Around 70 MEPs from six different political groups have drafted a joint resolution on Georgia titled “Attempts by the Ruling Georgian Dream Party to Ban Opposition Parties in Georgia.”

The co-authors of the draft resolution include Rasa Juknevičienė, David McAllister, Tobias Kramer, and Małgorzata Gosiewska. The vote on the draft is scheduled for tomorrow, October 8.