Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze says that false allegations about the Kulevi port were used as a pretext to impose sanctions on Georgia. Speaking on Imedi LIVE, he stated that claims related to oil shipments were “crude lies,” spread with the intention of “punishing the Georgian people,” but ultimately failed because they lacked any basis.
Kobakhidze argued that the incident highlights “double standards” in Western political circles. He criticized certain European and British officials for taking a moralizing stance while promoting misinformation, and pointed to the UK’s recent move to ease sanctions as proof that political decisions are driven by pragmatic interests rather than moral principles.
The Prime Minister stressed that Georgia must remain focused on protecting its national interests -peace, stability and economic well-being - regardless of the actions of external actors. He added that while others may pursue their own agendas, the Georgian government will continue acting in line with what he described as the will of the Georgian people.
His remarks come after the EU removed Kulevi port from the draft of its 20th sanctions package. In a letter to Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili, EU Sanctions Envoy David O’Sullivan said the change followed commitments from the Georgian government and SOCAR to prevent sanctioned vessels from entering Georgian ports and to comply strictly with EU restrictions on Russian oil.
