Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has accused Brussels of abandoning the core principles of dialogue and mutual understanding, saying the European Union has chosen confrontation instead, following Georgia’s exclusion from the upcoming Enlargement Forum scheduled for November 18 in Brussels.
Papuashvili claimed that the decision reflects a broader departure from European values, which he said are rooted in communication and cooperation rather than directives and attacks.
“There are two issues: this time, the spokesperson once again confirmed that this process was stopped by Brussels itself in June 2024. So once again, they have admitted with their own mouths what a disinformational, false narrative was being spread regarding the fact that the Georgian government had stopped the integration process. This is another confirmation and self-exposure,” Papuashvili stated.
He added that Brussels’ stance illustrates its shift away from Europe’s founding ideals:
“Brussels is choosing confrontation instead of dialogue, which is another sign of its deviation from European values. European values, as we Georgians understand them and of which we are co-creators, are dialogue, not confrontation — conversations, not directives; understanding the interests of others, not giving instructions. Unfortunately, Brussels has strayed from these values, and the result is the confrontational tone, attacks, and rhetoric we now hear against the Georgian people,” the Speaker said.
The comments came after Guillaume Mercier, the European Commission’s spokesperson for Enlargement, International Partnership, and the Mediterranean, confirmed to Euroscope editor Tamar Nutsubidze that Georgia has not been invited to the EU Enlargement Forum. Mercier also noted that Brussels has reduced direct contacts with the Georgian government amid rising political tensions and concerns over Georgia’s democratic trajectory.
Papuashvili’s remarks reflect the escalating strain in EU-Georgia relations, following the European Commission’s latest enlargement report, which described Georgia as a “candidate country in name only” and urged the government to reverse its democratic backsliding.
