More than a hundred diplomats in a public letter call on the government to resume negotiations with the European Union. According to them, their freezing is unconstitutional.
More than 100 employees of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs signed the open letter. In it, they described the government’s decision to freeze accession negotiations with the EU as unconstitutional and contrary to the country’s strategic interest. It was reported by the Reuters agency, writes TASR.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidze announced on Thursday that the government is suspending accession negotiations with the European Union until 2028. In response to a “series of attacks” by Brussels, Georgia also rejected all pre-accession funds from the EU. Joining the EU was Georgia’s long-term goal enshrined in the constitution.
Tbilisi’s relations with Brussels have deteriorated significantly due to the authoritative actions of the pro-Russian ruling party Georgian Dream and the manipulation of the October parliamentary elections. The EU therefore froze the accession process with Georgia.
They do not think about the country’s strategic interests
The letter published on the Civil Georgia portal states that “Georgian diplomats have been making every effort for years to achieve European and Euro-Atlantic integration in accordance with the will and historical choice of the Georgian people.” According to the diplomats, the decision to suspend accession negotiations “does not correspond to the country’s strategic interests.”
According to them, “European integration is an unprecedented chance to return Georgia to the European family, and such an opportunity may never be repeated.” According to them, rejecting this chance will mean Georgian isolation and will also be against the Georgian constitution.
Article 78 of the constitution states that “constitutional bodies shall take all measures within their powers to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.”
After the decision of the Georgian government, massive protests broke out on Thursday evening. During them, the police detained 43 people and 32 members of the security forces were injured. Police used tear gas and water cannon to drive thousands of protesters away from the parliament building.
