Prepared by Messenger Staff
Kobakhidze Criticizes EU Policy, Calls for Reset in Relations
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Thursday that the European Union faces serious internal challenges and urged its institutions to reconsider their current policies. Speaking to journalists, he argued that the EU has shifted away from cooperation with countries such as Georgia at a time when it should be focusing on its own economic and political issues.
"Europe still maintains the level of prosperity that was created on the basis of 70 years of uninterrupted peace throughout Europe, but the trends are extremely worrying," Kobakhidze said.
He pointed to the EU's shrinking role in the global economy, noting that its share has declined from 30 percent in 2008 to 17 percent today. "When you have such a difficult situation and such difficult trends, you should be focused on solving your own problems, as well as on developing relations as much as possible," he said. "Against this background we see that they are not trying to develop relations and cooperation, but on the contrary, they are trying to artificially sever ties with a country such as Georgia."
According to Kobakhidze, the EU's approach does not reflect the interests of its member states. "It can be seen that the European bureaucracy is governed from beginning to end by the dictates of external forces, and not by the dictates of the interests of the European community," he said.
He described what he called the influence of a "deep state" on European institutions, adding that while its role has weakened in the United States, it has become more prominent in the EU. He also linked this to the recent decision by European Parliament Vice President Marc Angel not to visit Georgia.
Kobakhidze said his government remains ready to improve ties. "We can once again express our full readiness to reset relations with the European Union. We are completely open, although we see Soviet approaches on their side - closed-door policy, not to mention non-communication. These are completely Soviet approaches, which must be corrected," he stated.
Ukraine Embassy Says It Was Not Officially Notified About Detained Citizens
The Ukrainian Embassy in Georgia said on September 17 that it had not received official notification regarding a criminal case against two Ukrainians arrested for allegedly bringing explosives into the country. The arrests were made by Georgia's State Security Service (SSSG), which claimed the individuals were acting under instructions from Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).
The embassy said it is monitoring media reports about the case and is seeking permission from Georgian authorities to meet with the detainees and clarify the circumstances of their detention. "The Embassy's consulate employees take all comprehensive measures to obtain permission from Georgian law enforcement authorities to meet with the Ukrainian detainees, and to clarify all circumstances surrounding their detention," the statement said.
The SSSG had said on September 12 that the detainees claimed the explosives were intended for Russia, although the investigation concluded they were meant to be transported within Georgia.
After the embassy issued its statement, the SSSG told TV Imedi that it had in fact informed the Ukrainian Embassy. "Even though one of the suspects directly pointed to Ukraine's security services as ordering the crime, immediately after the detention of these two individuals, at the stage when the investigation had only just been launched under a single article, the [Georgian] Foreign Ministry was informed in accordance with the law," the SSSG said. "As we know, the Ministry immediately notified a representative of the Ukrainian Embassy, in particular Andriy Bilyk, who has confirmed receiving the official correspondence."
Bilyk is listed as the first secretary for consular affairs at Ukraine's Embassy in Georgia.
