Western privileges - unachievable for Georgian people EU, US just promise great opportunities

Georgia has found itself under pressure from the West for pursuing an independent domestic and foreign policy oriented towards national interests.

Both the US and the EU are reconsidering relations with Georgia. In particular, the leaders of the EU member states decided to suspend the process of Georgia's accession to the EU.

This statement was made by EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski during the conference “EU Enlargement - A Geopolitical Necessity and the Next Steps for the EU Candidate States” in Tbilisi on July 9.

“I'm sorry to say this, but EU leaders have agreed to stop Georgia's accession process. The intentions of the current Georgian government are unclear to the EU leaders,” he said.

Washington also decided to subject Tbilisi to a political embargo. Senior Director for Europe at the US National Security Council Michael Carpenter said at a briefing for foreign journalists that the US has been reviewing all cooperation programmes with Georgia.

Earlier, the US Department of Defence announced that the joint US-Georgian Noble Partner exercises, planned for the summer, were postponed for an indefinite period due to a review of strategic relations.

What do the Georgian experts think about such harsh Western measures?

Georgian honoured journalist, Doctor of Historical Sciences, and political science professor Badri Nachkebia has said that relations between Georgia and the US have become tense, and at first glance this began with the adoption of the so-called “law on foreign agents” by Georgia and the “law on LGBT” (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender).

In a conversation with a Caliber.Az correspondent, he noted that the Americans began introducing sanctions against the ruling Georgian Dream party earlier.

“Georgian judges were subject to sanctions in April 2024, and Georgian MPs have been also subject to sanctions recently. Long before the 'law on foreign agents', financial sanctions were introduced against leader of the Georgian Dream Bidzina Ivanishvili. However, the West does not understand and does not accept Georgia’s position on protecting its sovereignty through the adoption of a law on foreign agents. So, all the new statements made by the US and the EU so far are a message that the positions of the West and Georgia are diverging. However, there is still a way back, there is such an opportunity,” the political analyst noted.

Nachkebia noted that Georgia will be forced to take several retaliatory actions, in particular, to strengthen regional cooperation with its strategic partners, primarily with Türkiye and Azerbaijan and will continue protecting its interests.

“Georgia, with its regional partners, can fully protect itself from both friends and enemies because we see that Tbilisi cannot yet find a common ground with its main partner – the US. The break with the US could also affect Georgia's regional security. The main tool for resolving the crisis with the West should be Georgian diplomacy in cooperation with its regional partners. So, it is possible to find points of mutual contact with the West,” he added.

Other Georgian political analyst Givi Ganidze has said that Georgia should not give up, no matter how tough the EU and the US act together.

“By making loud statements and imposing sanctions, the EU and the US expect to break Georgia’s sovereignty, make it soft and obedient to the West’s orders. However, this is unlikely to lead to any positive result. It is quite obvious that by accepting the US will and by beginning to repeal the already adopted laws, Georgia will fully recognise itself as a vassal of the West and will give up the opportunity to have its own voice and position. What will happen next? Ganidze said.

“I completely agree with those who say that such harsh pressure on Georgia, practically breaking its political statehood, is the worst thing that can happen to Georgia. We should understand that the price of Western privileges is too high for the Georgian people. It is quite obvious that the EU and the US only manipulated Georgia, promising great opportunities of the European freedom. In reality, our country may be instructed to become the vanguard of anti-Russian provocations in the South Caucasus. Why does my country need this? he added.