European embassies in Georgia reject accusations of political interference

A group of European embassies in Georgia has rejected what they describe as “baseless and damaging” accusations about their role and activities in the country.

In a joint statement in alleged reference to the country’s ruling authorities, the embassies – representing Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom – said the disinformation “misleads the public and undermines the possibility for our diplomatic missions to carry out our duties.”

The statement emphasized that diplomats routinely meet a wide range of actors, including government officials, opposition figures, civil society representatives, and ordinary citizens, which is fully consistent with the Vienna Convention. “We do not support any particular political party, and claims that we support violence and extremism are simply not true,” the embassies said, adding that they appeal to all actors to reject and condemn any form of violence.

The embassies also called on political leaders to refrain from divisive rhetoric and work towards de-escalation of tensions in the country.