The Georgian Dream has never suspended the country’s European integration process, Georgia is now closer to European standards in multiple areas than other candidate countries. Such a statement the Minister of Foreign Affairs made during an interpellation session in the Parliament.

As she noted, the Government was ready to launch negotiations with the EU as soon as the EU Council makes the relevant decision.

“It is a lie that the European integration process was unilaterally halted by the Georgian Dream party until 2028. On the contrary, thanks to the consistent policies of the Georgian Dream government, we can confidently say that today Georgia is much closer to European standards in various directions than other candidate countries.

Since 2012 Georgia has become significantly more democratic and qualitatively different. The country has achieved visible progress since 2014 as an EU-associated partner. This progress was reflected in European Commission reports prepared through 2025 and that even critics in Brussels acknowledged the advances when Georgia was granted EU candidate status in 2023”, - said Maka Botchorishvili.

She also referred to statements made in 2024, including remarks by the EU Ambassador to Georgia following a European Council decision, which she said indicated that Georgia’s accession process had been effectively paused: “EU membership remains a strategic goal for our Government and the majority of citizens, aimed at strengthening security and prosperity”.

At the same time, the Minister criticized what she described as ongoing “manipulation, threats, and blackmail” regarding Georgia’s European prospects, warning that such rhetoric undermines the integration process and fuels polarisation. She referenced a government statement from November 28, 2024, declaring that the authorities would not allow the country to remain under “constant blackmail and manipulation”.

“Instead of blackmail - let there be action. We are ready to launch negotiations with the EU as soon as the European Union Council makes its decision. However, at a minimum, this requires the EU bureaucracy to return to fulfilling its obligations under the Association Agreement and to resume the political dialogue with Georgia envisaged by that agreement, which was suspended in 2024.

Otherwise, any expression of concern about the European future of the Georgian people cannot be considered sincere and will only serve to polarize Georgian society, which cannot in any way be perceived or assessed by us as a gesture of goodwill”, - said Maka Botchorishvili.