Georgian PM hopes EU will not refuse to open accession talks with Georgia

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday said he hoped the European Union would not refuse to open accession talks with Georgia, adding the bloc declining to do so would “show a wrong attitude towards the Georgian people”.

You see the injustice that Moldova - a member country of the Commonwealth of Independent States with zero political and media pluralism, with serious problems in terms of democracy, corruption - has opened accession talks while we have not. This is a complete injustice”, he claimed.

He also alleged the “only explanation and reason for this injustice” was “different interests”, adding “as soon as these interests change, the approaches towards Georgia will immediately change” and the bloc would open accession talks with the country.

The PM also said he had held discussions with “about 20” political leaders on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in the United Kingdom last week, adding the meetings involved Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative, as well as a “number of prime ministers and presidents”, including Emmanuel Macron, the President of France.

• Georgian PM highlights his participation in European Political Community Summit

The official claimed the “overall picture” from the discussions had given him a “reason for optimism” and a reason to claim the “misunderstandings towards Georgia” would be “temporary” and “stop as soon as the Russian aggression in Ukraine ends”.