Georgian MP Kadagishvili claims EU officials applying political pressure over elections

Chairman of the Georgian Parliament's Local Government Committee, Irakli Kadagishvili, accused certain members of the 'European bureaucracy' of launching a new wave of political blackmail after failing to secure their desired outcome in Georgia’s elections.

According to Kadagishvili, these EU actors were never interested in free and democratic elections, but rather in achieving results that aligned with their political preferences.

“When they didn’t get the outcome they wanted, they started a new wave of blackmail,” Kadagishvili stated. “Their only effective leverage was visa liberalization, which this government secured. Back then they claimed it was for the people, not the government — now they are ready to take it away from the people too.”

He argued that Georgia has fully complied with the conditions required for visa-free travel with the EU, citing recent legislation on migration and continuous anti-corruption reforms.

Kadagishvili also noted that no decision on Georgia’s visa liberalization was made at the recent EU foreign ministers’ meeting, with some countries expressing strong opposition to any suspension and others calling for continued dialogue.

“This is classic blackmail. It has nothing to do with democracy or genuine European integration,” he added. “The goal is to bring their loyal agents to power through pressure — but that won’t work.”