Unfortunately, Brussels has chosen the path of confrontation rather than dialogue – Shalva Papuashvili

According to the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, the European Union has opted for a path of confrontation, rather than dialogue, in its relations with Georgia.

Papuashvili made these remarks while commenting on Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s participation in the EU Enlargement Summit organized by Euronews.

In his assessment, the rhetoric of tension and confrontation has recently come to dominate the European Union’s foreign policy—an approach that runs counter to the very idea upon which the EU was founded. "Unfortunately, Brussels has chosen the path of confrontation rather than dialogue. This is, of course, un-European behavior—though, regrettably, such conduct has recently come to dominate the European Union’s foreign policy. We see that the EU, along with its foreign policy spokespersons and commissioners, is focused on escalation, confrontation, and the rhetoric of war—an approach that stands in radical opposition to the very idea upon which the European Union was founded," stated Papuashvili.

According to him, the interview with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze—and the conduct of the host—clearly highlighted the problems currently affecting relations between Georgia and the European Union. "You saw a Prime Minister who consistently spoke of dialogue and sought to explain our position, and you saw an interlocutor who listened to no one but themselves—resorting to accusations rather than engaging in substantive discussion on any given issue, all the while convincing themselves that they alone were in the right. I believe this served as a perfect illustration of the current state of relations between the European Union and Georgia," noted the Speaker of the Parliament.

According to Papuashvili, Georgia is calling on the European Union to engage in dialogue and substantive discussion; however, he observes that the EU is instead speaking the language of accusations and refusing to engage in dialogue.