France’s Minister for European Affairs: “They are closing the door to Europe for the people of Georgia”
Benjamin Haddad on Georgian Dream
France’s Minister for European Affairs, Benjamin Haddad, confirmed that the introduction of sanctions against the Georgian Dream party is being considered both at the national (French) and European levels. Haddad shared this in an interview with the Georgian TV channel “Pirveli.” According to him, Georgian Dream is closing the door to Europe for the people of Georgia.
Haddad stated that, in addition to sanctions, discussions are also underway regarding the possible reconsideration of Georgia’s EU candidate status and the suspension of the visa-free regime for Georgian citizens.
Benjamin Haddad:
“I want to remind you why we are here. Georgia is a candidate country for joining the European Union. We, France, support the European aspirations of the Georgian people. But unfortunately, in recent months and years, we have witnessed Georgian Dream shifting its course toward anti-liberalism, toward repression of the opposition, civil society, and NGOs.
We have witnessed violence and arrests of political opponents exercising their right to freedom of expression and protest. We have seen parliamentary elections that the OSCE and the European Parliament called unfair and rigged. It is clear that if you are a candidate country for EU membership, you have an obligation to respect the rule of law, freedom of speech, fundamental rights, and minority rights.”
Therefore, at the European Council and the meeting of foreign ministers, we clearly stated that we will not allow this deviation from the course and are prepared to take measures both at the European and national levels to punish those responsible. Unfortunately, this will slow down and freeze Georgia’s process of European integration.
I know that the majority of Georgia’s population wants to continue on the European path, continue the democratic path, and follow it through to the end — to the European Union — but the actions of Georgian Dream greatly hinder this path and lead the country away from its goal.
We have made it clear that all options [for responses] are on the negotiation table. We are discussing the cancellation of candidate status, the visa-free regime, and the imposition of sanctions against those responsible.
We have made it clear that we have every possibility at the negotiation table to put pressure on Georgian Dream both at the European and national levels. Even without considering these measures, the truth today is that Georgian Dream has frozen the process, and the situation may even worsen. But yes, we have different options.
The process of European integration must be based on respect, freedom of expression, and the protection of human rights. We hope for this; we want Georgia to restore the European narrative and the Euro-integration process. Unfortunately, the course chosen by Georgian Dream and the Georgian government is the opposite of this and is closing the door to Europe for the people of Georgia. And the citizens of Georgia do not deserve this.
Recently, at the Flopsec conference in Prague, I met with representatives of civil society, including the fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili, to whom I expressed solidarity.
President Macron is very concerned about the situation in Georgia, which is why he called [Georgian Dream’s honorary chairman] Bidzina Ivanishvili and conveyed the same message that I have just shared with you. We reject and condemn the repression; we want an inclusive process to be opened, and we want respectful, peaceful dialogue among political forces in Georgia that could lead to new elections.
There has been only one phone call between President Macron and Ivanishvili. We will continue to spread this message through various channels, including diplomatic ones.”
