Mayor Kaladze: European bureaucracy cannot accept that Georgians make their own decisions

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has criticised what he described as the use of visa liberalisation as a tool of pressure on Georgia, calling it unacceptable for European bureaucracy to “blackmail” the country’s population.

Speaking to journalists, Kaladze said the approach stems from an inability to accept that Georgians make independent political decisions.

“It is categorically unacceptable that the European bureaucracy constantly blackmails the Georgian population with visa liberalisation and visa-free travel. There are many nations in the world, with larger populations and stronger economies than ours.

“Georgia, with around four million people, is truly unique in character, something that, unfortunately, no European has fully understood. The explanation is that they cannot forgive the Georgian people for making their own decisions, doing what is most important for the country and not allowing Georgia to be used for anyone’s interests,” Kaladze said.