We want friends and partners, but not at the expense of trampling on Georgia`s interests. Such a statement made today the Mayor of Tbilisi.

"Government of Georgia is ready to take specific steps, but not under double standards - what is allowed for them is supposedly not allowed for us. When they come out and say that transparency is bad, that it goes against European values, the future, and hampers EU integration, the obvious question arises: why is transparency bad? We have not received any real argument or answer - only political speculation aimed at damaging the country and its people.

Georgia had already faced pressure at different stages of its EU path. First, they sought to blackmail us with [EU membership] candidate status, then with the issue of opening or not opening accession talks. With all these topics, they sought to provoke confrontation and revolution in the country, but they failed. Now the only thing left in their hands is visa liberalisation, with which they are trying to blackmail Georgian citizens", - said Kakha Kaladze.

He also linked Georgia`s challenges to the ongoing war in Ukraine, saying it continues to pose risks for the country.

"Whether it was the Prime Minister of Sweden or Denmark - I don`t remember exactly - who, during a meeting with Ukrainian soldiers, said that Ukraine could not become an EU member unless same-sex marriage was legalised.

There are many components, including the risk of starting a war. We were directly urged in offices, and even the [Georgian] Prime Minister was threatened. Naturally, this threat has not disappeared. As long as the Russia-Ukraine war continues, this danger remains…

We do not want our country to be used for advancing foreign interests - we have said this many times. We want friends and partners, but not at the expense of trampling on Georgia`s interests. Friendship and partnership, as we understand, are mutual", - added the Mayor.