Lithuania’s support for Georgia and sanctions against its politicians are not intended to interfere in the country’s domestic politics, Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said on Monday.
“This isn’t about domestic politics or backing any particular political group. It’s about Georgia’s promise, made a year ago and not fulfilled, to hold free and fair elections, a condition for them to further develop their relations with the European Union and for implementing the country’s EU candidate status,” he told reporters.
According to Budrys, “lumping together” these different issues causes harm.
“Elections, democratic standards, the OSCE, the election reports, European integration – this is what we are talking about, as well as about people who organise the beating of peaceful protesters in the street and putting them behind bars,” he said.
The FM also noted that in pushing for broader sanctions, it is important to find more like-minded countries.
