Georgia and Europe: rising tensions over democracy, sovereignty, and integration

Tbilisi and Strasbourg are facing an escalating political standoff as Georgia’s democratic trajectory and its European aspirations collide with sharp criticism from European institutions.

On August 20, fifty-one members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) issued a declaration warning that if Georgia does not reverse what they describe as an 'authoritarian course,' they will challenge the mandate of the Georgian delegation and call for the process of expelling the country from the Assembly. The warning followed a January resolution that ratified Georgia’s mandate on the condition that it release political prisoners and hold new parliamentary elections under improved electoral standards. Instead, the Assembly argues, Georgia has further deteriorated: opposition leaders have been jailed, civil society and media figures prosecuted, and the Georgian delegation itself has withdrawn from PACE activities.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has strongly rejected the criticism. He described the move as 'absurd,' pointing out that Georgia suspended its own participation in PACE. He accused European politicians of bureaucratic contradictions and insisted that the country remains committed to European integration. However, Kobakhidze also delivered a wider critique of the EU, claiming its bureaucracy is 'governed by external influences' and lacks true sovereignty. According to him, Europe’s inability to defend its own objective interests is the continent’s deepest problem.

At the same time, discussions around the possible suspension of Georgia’s visa-free travel regime with the EU have further strained relations. Kobakhidze called such debates 'blackmail' and an example of double standards. He pointed to Moldova as a case study, arguing that despite corruption, weak institutions, and limited political pluralism, Moldova continues to be praised as a 'beacon of democracy,' while Georgia is confronted with threats of sanctions.

Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili added his perspective, stressing that Georgia’s ultimate goal remains EU membership as a guarantee of peace and security. Yet he cautioned that Europe cannot afford complacency, warning that peace in the region is fragile.

The clash between Tbilisi and European institutions highlights the complex balance Georgia is seeking: advancing its integration into the European Union while fiercely defending its sovereignty and independence. For Georgia’s leadership, the path to Brussels must not come at the cost of national values and peace. For European lawmakers, however, the concern remains whether Georgia is fulfilling the democratic obligations that underpin its membership in European institutions.

As the rhetoric hardens on both sides, the outcome of this confrontation may prove decisive for Georgia’s political future and its European aspirations.

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