Georgian FM: Gov’t “responsible for stability, peace”, “important to protect country from destabilisation” amid protests

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Wednesday emphasised the Government was “above all responsible for ensuring stability and peace” in Georgia, followed by efforts for its European Union integration, “economic stability and overall development”, in comments on the backdrop of ongoing public protests across the country against the Government decision to suspend accession talks with the EU until 2028.

While attending the 31st session of the Ministerial Council of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, being held in Malta between Wednesday and Friday, Botchorishvili said the former task made it “important to act in a way to protect our country from attempts at destabilisation as much as possible”.

Addressing the domestic opposition groups’ refusal to recognise results of October parliamentary elections, the Minister called it a “significant problem that needs to be resolved because it affects Georgia’s foreign agenda”.

She added the issue was being linked to the Government-introduced law on family values ​​and protection of minors, approved by the Parliament in September, with the development leading to a “strange situation” where “dialogue [with partners] is needed”.

In her comments over the public protests, the official said it was “understandable there is an emotional backdrop when at a certain point you say you are taking half a step back to move further forward [in EU integration]” and claimed the suspension of the accession talks required a “correct understanding from the public”, claiming “no-one has said the EU integration process is going to be halted”.

On the contrary, it has been emphasised numerous times that this process will proceed even more vigorously, and we will be even more mobilised to ensure that by 2028, over 90 percent of [commitments undertaken under] the Association Agreement signed between Georgia and the EU is met. [...] [I]t is a very significant political decision that lays the foundation for Georgia’s EU membership”, she added.

The Minister said the Government  announcing it would not request the opening of negotiations with the EU until 2028 “does not mean that should such a political decision arise [by the bloc], Georgia will not engage in the process with the EU”, and pointed out the decision was “in Georgia’s interest and in the interest of its EU integration”.

She also noted the process would “likely require us to take similar steps and address similar issues frequently” and added [w]e must be prepared to achieve our ultimate goal together without compromising it”.