Foreign ministry official: Georgia cannot join EU by being deceptive
While a variety of options are currently on the table as potential new sanctions on Georgia, the most important message to the Georgian government remains that the process European Union accession cannot be achieved by deception, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary General Jonatan Vseviov said.
On Monday, Estonia imposed a sanction banning 11 Georgian officials from entering the country, as they were involved in severe human rights violations by violently suppressing protests in Georgia that erupted after the government decided to postpone the start of EU accession talks.
When asked what other sanctions might follow for Georgia and whether terminating the visa-free agreement is being considered, Vseviov replied that all options remain on the table.
Speaking to ETV politics show "Esimene stuudio" Tuesday, Vseviov said: "Really it is reasonable to impose these sanctions gradually. But the most important 'sanction,' if the word is interpreted freely, is what we have said: That Georgia's nearing toward its declared goal of EU membership—which is still stated in various legislation of theirs—has for now come to a halt."
"Georgia is no longer advancing on this road. While not a sanction in the classic sense, this gives the signal that we hope will reach all decision-makers in Georgia: One cannot join the EU via deception," Vseviov stated.
According to Vseviov, the situation in Georgia appears very volatile and tragic, as the country is moving in precisely the opposite direction from where Estonia and the European Union want to see it heading.
"Such that a country can reach the EU, two things are crucial. First, it must broadly align with EU foreign policy, plus, right now, the most important issue for us remains Russia's aggression in Ukraine. Second, that country must demonstrate democratic maturity, including with regard to the rule of law and free elections," Vseviov said.
Vseviov added that right now in Georgia everything seems currently to be moving in the wrong direction: Troubling trends evident before the recent elections culminated with the elections themselves.
"What results from this is that we cannot consider these elections to have been free or fair. The situation has gotten worse day by day. We view this, what has been happening, with deep concern and sadness," he said.
On the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's recent claim that their goal remains EU integration, Vseviov commented that this seems like a litmus test on seeing whether lies truly have short legs or not.
"Indeed, lies do have short legs," the secretary general continued.
"You can fool some of the people for some time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time," he continued, quoting Abraham Lincoln.
"And for sure, you cannot fool the EU, whose enlargement process is extraordinarily complex as is. [Joining] demands immense political effort," Vseviov said.
As for Moscow's influencing activity in Georgia, Vseviov noted that it is undeniably present.
"Russia influences events in its neighboring countries to as full an extent as it can. In Georgia, Russia holds a position it has not managed to establish in any NATO or EU countries, simply because it militarily occupies a significant part of Georgia's territory. Naturally, they try to present this narrative to the public, but looking at opinion polls on Georgians' pro-European sentiment, it seems this has been seen for what it is," Vseviov concluded.
Pro-Russian movements have long occupied the South Ossetia (North Ossetia itself is a part of the Russian Federation) and Abkhazia regions of Georgia, and it was disturbances in the latter which led to Russia's short-lived invasion in 2008.
In the present, thousands protested outside Georgia's parliament in Tbilisi for the sixth consecutive night on Tuesday, in opposition to the Georgian Dream Party-led government's decision to suspend EU accession talks.
Riot police used tear gas and water cannon, resulting in nearly 300 detentions and dozens of people injured.
This followed allegations of election rigging and Russian influence in the October elections.
In Tallinn this week, the Georgian diaspora too protested.
Estonia, along with Latvia and Lithuania, have imposed travel bans on a dozen Georgian officials deemed responsible for suppressing the protests and other human rights violations.
Both President Alar Karis and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna have expressed Estonia's full and unequivocal support for Georgia's EU aspirations and hit out at the apparent shift more towards the Russian sphere of influence by the current Georgian government.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte, Marko Tooming
Source: "Esimene stuudio", interview conducted by Liisu Lass.