Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Estonian Parliament has sharply criticized Europe’s muted response to recent developments in Georgia, calling it a “shameful suffocation” of the Georgian people’s pro-European aspirations.
“The suffocation of Georgia’s pro-European people in the face of Europe’s silence is shameful — and shows that we seemingly lack both the strength and the will to stand up to Russia’s advancing imperialism,” he stated.
The Estonian politician stressed that the European Union must act decisively and articulate a clear strategy in response not only to the political crisis in Georgia but also to the wider challenge of Russian aggression in the region.
“It is high time for Europe to present a clear vision: We will stop the Russian empire, we will liberate the nations that want to be free and part of Europe’s success story — and in doing so, we will give Europe as a whole the hope to shape the future of the world,” he added.
The remarks come amid international criticism of Georgia’s October 4 elections, which were marred by the detention of opposition leaders, restrictions on media and civil society, and the absence of international monitoring. Several European governments, including Latvia, have already declared that such elections “cannot be called free or democratic.”
Estonia, a vocal supporter of Georgia’s European integration, has repeatedly urged Brussels to take a firmer stance toward Russia’s growing influence in the region and to defend countries striving for closer ties with the EU.
