Latvian president: Suspend Georgia's EU candidacy

Latvian president about Georgia and EU

Latvian president Edgars Rinkēvičs believes the situation in Georgia requires an urgent and firm response from the European Union. He suggests that suspending Georgia’s candidate status would send a clear message to its government, preventing further deterioration. Rinkēvičs made these remarks at the Riga StratCom Dialogue 2024 international conference.

“If we don’t send a very clear signal [to the Georgian government] and only express verbal concern, the situation will worsen,” said Edgars Rinkēvičs.

He urged the Georgian government to heed its society’s wishes and resist external influences that could hinder the country’s democratic development. Additionally, he emphasized that Latvia will support Georgia only if it respects democratic principles and the rule of law.

The State Department announced sanctions against Georgian MPs, law enforcement, and ruling party members

A ban on entry to the U.S. and revocation of existing visas for 20-30 officials and their family members. This is only the first stage of sanctions

On June 6, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, addressed students, stating that the Georgian people should not be punished for the actions of their government. He mentioned that the likelihood of the visa-free regime with the EU being revoked is low. Herczyński also emphasized that the EU’s position remains unchanged: the EU continues to support Georgia and wants it to take its place among the union’s member states.