Georgian FM warns UK sanctions threaten bilateral partnership

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili has expressed concerns that recent sanctions imposed on Georgian citizens and statements by British officials are undermining the strategic partnership between the two nations, framing them as attempts to interfere in Georgia’s internal political affairs.

The remarks were made during a meeting with British Ambassador to Georgia, Gareth Ward, where the two diplomats reviewed the current state of and future prospects for bilateral relations, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

According to a statement from the Georgian Foreign Ministry, Botchorishvili emphasized that these sanctions and public comments “cast a shadow on the strategic partnership and friendship between Georgia and Great Britain.”

The Foreign Minister further highlighted that such measures are often perceived as efforts to influence internal political processes, thereby complicating the cooperative relationship between the two countries.

“When discussing the current processes in Georgia, FM Botchorishvili noted that politicisation of legal processes and attempts to influence the course of justice are inadmissible,” the ministry’s statement added.

The discussion also covered regional security challenges, with both parties agreeing on the critical importance of the effective functioning of Georgian state institutions in maintaining national stability and security.

By Vafa Guliyeva