“This is a temporary event, just as Salome Zurabishvili is,” is how Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze described the decision of the United States of America to suspend its strategic partnership with Georgia.
Kobakhidze claimed the current US administration is trying to leave as heavy a legacy as possible for the new one.
“You can see that the current administration is trying to leave as hard a legacy as possible for the new administration. They are doing this in relation to Ukraine and now in relation to Georgia. This will not be of principle importance. We will wait for the new administration and we will talk about everything with the new administration. This is as temporary an event as Salome Zurabishvili”, the Prime Minister noted.
The press spokesman of the US State Department, Matthew Miller, wrote on X late last night that the United States of America has decided to suspend its strategic partnership with Georgia. Later, the US State Department also published an extensive statement regarding the decision.
“Georgian Dream’s various anti-democratic actions have violated the core tenets of our US-Georgia Strategic Partnership. As a result, the United States has suspended this mechanism,” reads the statement of Matthew Miller.
Mathew Miller called on the Georgian government return to its Euro-Atlantic path, transparently investigate all parliamentary election irregularities, and repeal anti-democratic laws that limit freedoms of assembly and expression.
“The decision by Georgian Dream to suspend Georgia’s EU accession process goes against the promise to the Georgian people enshrined in their constitution to pursue full integration into the European Union and NATO. By suspending Georgia’s EU accession process, Georgian Dream has rejected the opportunity for closer ties with Europe and made Georgia more vulnerable to the Kremlin.
“The Georgian people overwhelmingly support integration with Europe. The United States condemns the excessive use of force by police against Georgians seeking to exercise their rights to assembly and expression, including their freedom to peacefully protest. We call on all sides to ensure protests remain peaceful.
“Georgian Dream’s various anti-democratic actions have violated the core tenets of our U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership, which was based on shared values and commitments to democracy, rule of law, civil society, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and anti-corruption efforts. As a result, the United States has suspended this mechanism.
“We reiterate our call to the Georgian government to return to its Euro-Atlantic path, transparently investigate all parliamentary election irregularities, and repeal anti-democratic laws that limit freedoms of assembly and expression,” reads the statement.
Related story: US suspends strategic partnership with Georgia
