Georgian PM highlights Gov’t’s “strategic goal” of “rebooting” relations with US, EU

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said his Government’s “strategic goal” was to “reboot” its relations with the United States and the European Union, and pledged to “definitely” ensure the outcome starting next year.

Kobakhidze claimed the ongoing war in Ukraine was the “main reason why specific forces have different interests” towards the country.

Sanctions are not currently a relevant issue. I believe that starting next year, our relations with both the European Union and the United States will be fundamentally rebooted. Once the war in Ukraine ends, we will be in a completely different situation. I would not pay much attention to temporary events, like the European Parliament resolution”, the PM said. 

Our strategic task is to reboot relations, and this will definitely happen next year. The war in Ukraine is the main reason for different interests towards Georgia. Once the [conflict on the] first front ends, the interest of [opening] a second front in Georgia will also end, facilitating the reboot of relations between Georgia, the EU, and the United States”, he continued.

The Government head further alleged “everyone” had “witnessed that sanctions are absolutely counterproductive”.

He said Western partners’ sanctions on Georgian police employees, particularly those who had fought in the 2008 war against Russia, was “indicating that something is not right within certain Western institutions”.

They [US Department of States] sanctioned two individuals who fought in the 2008 war, both representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Everyone should remember that the police in Georgia is the institution that enjoys the highest level of public trust”, he said.

It has already been proven that sanctions are counterproductive. I do not believe this practice will continue in the future. It is unfair and counterproductive. I believe these people are pragmatic and will not take steps that are against their own interests”, Kobakhidze noted.

He further stressed Georgian citizens had a “legitimately elected Government” which had been “recognised” by the country’s partners. 

The PM added there was an “equivalence between citizens and their legitimately elected Government”, which he said would “remain in force” after the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26, where he said the “collective United National Movement” opposition would “face its ninth defeat”.

Consequently, relations will be rebooted between the European Union and the Government, which will once again represent the legitimate choice of Georgian citizens”, the PM said. 

Kobakhidze added “everyone must respect the democratic choice” of the country’s citizens.