“Georgian Dream” wants to elevate its dialogue with the European Union to a higher political level, according to Rikard Jozwiak, Europe editor for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Speaking to the Pirveli TV channel, Jozwiak stated that the European Union, however, is showing little interest in resuming political dialogue with Tbilisi.
“This is exactly what Georgia wants. They want a political dialogue. They want to resume contacts at all political levels. But as you know, the European Union is not very interested in this because it sees no point in it. The EU is effectively boycotting meetings with high-ranking Georgian officials in Brussels.
Could this change? Perhaps, in the end, the EU will meet with the Georgian side. But what next? What will they talk about? To hold meetings, you need to have a subject for discussion, rather than just going in circles. Therefore, I do not rule out that such a meeting might take place, but will anything significant happen there? I don’t think so. Are we approaching a moment when the EU will have to make difficult decisions? I’m afraid so…
The Georgians want to elevate this issue to a higher level, while the European Union wants to resolve it at a lower level. They speak different languages. This is exactly the impression one gets every time Georgia and the EU meet. And how to find a way out of this situation? I am not sure it can be resolved at all,” he noted.
Commenting on the meeting held on June 11 in Brussels, Jozwiak reported that after its conclusion, EU representatives concluded that “they had not made much progress.”
“It resembles some kind of ridiculous dance. EU representatives ask: what are you going to do about this or that law? The Georgian side replies: this is a technical meeting, and what you are talking about is a political issue. We are not politicians and we cannot change laws because that is a political decision.
Then the Georgian side repeats what they apparently said at this meeting as well: that foreign agents are being funded to organize riots in Tbilisi, that they are attacking the police, that the protests are violent, and therefore these laws are necessary.
After that, the EU says again: change the laws. And the Georgian side replies: we cannot do that because we are here to discuss technical and legal issues. Then there are statements again about the opposition, foreign funding, and other problems that, in their opinion, exist in Georgia.
As far as I know, the Georgian side considered the meeting quite successful. At the same time, according to my information, EU representatives stated: ‘We have not made much progress on this issue.’ This is where we are now. Essentially, it is the beginning of the very same process all over again,” said Rikard Jozwiak.
