“Visa-free travel to Georgia should not be reviewed, as there is no valid basis for such a change,” stated MP Tengiz Sharmanashvili, a member of the parliamentary majority.

According to him, “if they resort to injustice and violence, there is little we can do about it.”

“What is the alternative? Think about it. What do they expect? The so-called ‘Deep State’ counts on the radical opposition. If we were to adopt their misguided steps, jeopardise the country’s future, they would have granted us twice as many benefits as they offer to the opposition. But that is not our path. We understand that we may suffer personally as a result, but we will not take these steps because the future, stability, and peace of our country are infinitely more valuable.

Due to the influence of the ‘Deep State’, the European Union cannot act independently. They imply that we should relinquish sovereignty, stability, and peace. Moreover, they suggest we abandon policies that are beneficial to the country. They sent a message two or three days ago, which was read publicly in front of this [Parliament] building unchanged. The Georgian government should respond in kind. This approach will not succeed, as it would bring disaster to Georgia and threaten its future.

Georgia is expected to be a leading nation, surpassing all candidate countries by 2030, when the European Union’s enlargement is planned to be complete. If they act unfairly, that is their concern; yet we cannot subordinate Georgia’s future to someone else’s political agenda. We have our own political priorities; this is our sovereignty and our peace,” Sharmanashvili concluded.