Georgian PM calls EU bodies to “distance themselves from unfair decisions” in European Parliament

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday called executive bodies of the European Union to “distance themselves from unfair decisions” in the European Parliament, in response to an amendment introduced by MEP Anna Fotyga to a resolution to urge the Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili to pardon the imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Kobakhidze said the “main task” of his Government was to “maintain the 85 percent public support” for EU integration “despite the fact that the European Parliament is trying to lower this figure”.

“I think it would be very good if the executive bodies of the European Union would distance themselves from the European Parliament in such unfair decisions”, he said.

“First of all, this will have a positive effect on public perception. The 85 percent public support for EU integration must remain strong. We are doing our best for this, but the European Parliament is preventing us from doing so”, Kobakhidze claimed.

The Government head further noted “certain odious MEPs” could “harm the perception” of the EU and the European Parliament in the country.

The European Parliament should be perceived as a fair body by the Georgian public. If the messages that sometimes resonate in closed meetings are also heard in front of the public, this will have a positive impact on the public's perception of the European Parliament and European bodies”, the PM continued.

Kobakhidze also said the European Parliament President Roberta Metsola had “expressed a very healthy position” regarding “processes that developed especially in 2022 in the European Parliament” in the meeting between the two officials in Brussels last month, before adding “these were not healthy processes”.