Georgian Prime Minister accuses opposition of trying to hinder country's European integration

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze claims that members of opposition parties continue to hinder the country's European integration process.

“The opposition directly lobbied European institutions and opposed visa liberalization for Georgia when the decision was being made. After that, the radical opposition directly lobbied against candidate status and against the start of negotiations... This campaign continues, a campaign against Georgia's national interests,” the prime minister told reporters.

According to the prime minister, “these people (the opposition - ed.) are working against Georgia's vital national interests, they did so from 2003 to 2012 when they were in power, and they continue to do so to this day.”

Relations between Georgia and the European Union deteriorated after the Georgian parliament passed a law on foreign agents in May last year. On November 28, 2024, Kobakhidze announced the decision to suspend consideration of the issue of starting negotiations on the country's membership in the European Union until 2028. Since then, protests demanding new parliamentary elections have been ongoing in Georgia. European politicians have repeatedly expressed their support for the protesters. At the same time, the country's authorities say they will do everything possible to become a member of the European Union in 2030.

Reprinted from https://ria.ru/