Former Georgian MP Dimitri Tskitishvili says the ruling Georgian Dream party’s recent statements about renewing dialogue with the European Union on contentious issues, including the foreign agents law, are not aimed at reviving the country’s EU integration process. Speaking to BMGTV, he argued that the government is no longer interested in EU membership and instead seeks to maintain only economic and transactional relations with Western partners.
According to Tskitishvili, the government knows what reforms are required to return Georgia to the European integration path but lacks the political will to implement them. He said meaningful progress would require broader democratic reforms, including stronger institutions, protection of fundamental rights, and an end to political persecution, rather than limited changes to a single law.
The former lawmaker also accused the ruling party of sending contradictory messages to different audiences. While maintaining pro-European rhetoric domestically, he said government representatives simultaneously promote anti-Western narratives, preparing supporters for a future distancing from the EU.
Tskitishvili argued that Georgian Dream’s foreign policy approach is focused on attracting investment and preserving business ties rather than pursuing strategic integration with Europe. He also warned that the government overestimates Georgia’s geopolitical importance, noting that regional transport and energy projects could proceed through alternative routes if the country becomes increasingly isolated from its Western partners.
