The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, expressed his confidence that his country will join the European Union by 2030. He stated this on May 28, during a press conference that was broadcast on the politician’s Facebook page .
Till 2030 I am absolutely sure. We will be prepared for accession to the European Union in any possible way.
IRAQLI KOBAKHIDZE
Kobakhidze noted that the law on foreign agents, finally adopted by the Georgian parliament, will provide a better basis for securing Georgia’s EU membership by 2030 and help strengthen the country’s sovereignty. He called frivolous the issue of imposing sanctions against Georgia because of this law.
According to the prime minister, Georgia should not allow blackmail on the subject of EU accession to be used to organize unrest in the country and change of power, as happened in Ukraine.
The Georgian parliament overrode Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili’s veto of the foreign agents law with a majority vote. The project was adopted in its initial version. The session of the legislature was watched throughout the day by the participants of the demonstration that was organized outside the parliament building.
The Georgian parliament passed the foreign agents bill on 14 May, but on 18 May Zurabishvili opposed it, calling the document “Russian” and unconstitutional. The European Union said passing the law could prevent the republic from joining the organisation. Kobakhidze accused Zurabishvili of treason, and the mayor of Tbilisi, the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Kakha Kaladze, promised to override the veto.
On May 26, a march of several thousand people opposing the government’s actions took place in Tbilisi. People shouted slogans and sang songs, waving Georgian and EU flags. The foreign ministers of Iceland, Lithuania and Estonia participated in one of the protests.