Ruling party head highlights Gov’t “priorities” as Russian FM slams EU enlargement

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said the Georgian Government had acted in accordance with “own priorities” in its efforts for European integration, in reaction to the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s critical comments on the European Union’s planned enlargement. 

In comments last week, Lavrov told the press following the European Commission’s positive recommendation to the European Council to grant Georgia the EU membership candidate status and open accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova that the bloc would “not succeed” in “expelling Russia” from the South Caucasus and Central Asia. 

In his response in comments to journalists, Kobakhidze said “it is not my business to comment on Russian statements, we have our own priorities”. 

Responding to the EU’s expansion plans, Lavrov also said his country was “historically located” in the two regions and “will not disappear anywhere”, a position he claimed Moscow's “allies and partners know very well”.