Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday assessed the decision of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on suspending visa-free travel for holders of Georgian diplomatic passports as an “unequivocally anti-Georgian step”, Agenda.ge reported.
In his remarks over the Council meeting, which reviewed the Georgian Government's suspension of negotiations for the opening of European Union accession talks and its response to ongoing public protests against the move, Kobakhidze said such decisions were “undermining the credibility of European bodies in the eyes of the Georgian public”.
“I want to respond to yesterday's decision of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council. The only recommendation that the Council issued is related to the introduction of a visa requirement for holders of diplomatic passports. Although this recommendation has essentially a symbolic meaning, it should be assessed as an unequivocally anti-Georgian step that undermines the credibility of European bodies in the eyes of the Georgian public”, the PM said.
“The result of such decisions is that European bodies are constantly being devalued in the perception of the Georgian public, which is a serious problem. You know that a recent Eurobarometer survey was conducted by the European Union, according to which, the trust in European bodies in Georgia has decreased by six percent over the past six months. It is precisely such decisions that reduce the trust of the Georgian public in European bodies”, he noted.
The Government head further extended his gratitude to Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Spain and Romania for “defending the interests of the Georgian people” at the Council meeting.
He claimed the list of countries that had opposed the sanctions against Georgian officials was “even wider”, adding that “we will continue consultations with all countries that support the Georgian people”.
