Opposition MP says “some disgraceful people” in opposition may have campaigned against granting EU member status to country

Citizens opposition party MP Aleko Elisashvili on Friday said there were “some disgraceful people” among the domestic opposition who may have campaigned with the country’s European partners against granting Georgia the European Union member candidate status.

Elisashvili said he was aware of a presence of individuals in the opposition who he said had campaigned against granting Georgia visa-free travel with Schengen Area countries in 2017, which the country achieved that year in talks with the EU.

The opposition member said the same group could again be involved in campaigning against the ongoing process of the EU granting the candidate status to the country.

I know for a fact that there are disgraceful people in the Georgian opposition who told European MPs not to grant visa-free travel to Georgia [in 2017]. They are still alive and I do not rule out that they would again tell [European partners] not to grant Georgia the EU member candidate status,” the MP told the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

In comments on the matter, Elisashvili accused the opposition colleagues who were “failing to differentiate the issues of state importance from internal party interests” in “deliberately harming” the country’s goals.

On May 23, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, called on the “radical opposition” in the country to “stop campaigning against” Georgia being granted the European Union candidate status.

The ruling party official noted “only those who want to cause unrest” and “get the country involved in war” could oppose the process of the country gaining EU candidate status.