Day: July 13, 2026

The Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Ian Saunders has arrived in Azerbaijan on an official visit.

Senior Georgian Dream officials have rebuked EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas over comments that the EU does not want to support the Georgian government, but rather the Georgian people, made while answering a question about the bloc’s Black Sea strategic approach.

Upon arrival at the July 13 Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, HR/VP Kallas was asked how she sees issues concerning cooperation with and the involvement of Georgia in the EU’s Black Sea strategic approach, which foreign ministers had on the agenda for discussion.

Noting that the strategy had been launched a year ago and that ministers were set to review its implementation, Kallas said the countries around the Black Sea are “of course” an “important part” of it.

She continued: “Now we are also struggling with Georgia. We don’t really have connections with the [GD] government. We don’t want to support the government. We want to support the people of Georgia. We have also had discussions on how we can best do that so that the people do not lose hope in Europe.”

The comments came amid strained relations between Tbilisi and Brussels over the Georgian Dream government’s anti-democratic moves and anti-EU rhetoric. The EU said in November that Georgia is a candidate country “in name only” and moved in February to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian holders of diplomatic and service passports.

Senior Georgian Dream officials, including Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili, and disputed Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, sharply criticized Kallas over the comments, particularly her distinction between the Georgian government and the Georgian people.

Kobakhidze was asked by a pro-government Imedi TV journalist to comment on Kallas’ comments after the morning briefing, during which he denounced the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s recent Hague Declaration and accompanying critical resolutions and provisions on Georgia.

“We have often said that there is one country, the Russian Federation, which does not recognize Georgia’s sovereignty over 20% of its territory,” Kobakhidze said. “Then there is Ms. Kaja Kallas, who does not recognize Georgia’s sovereignty over 100% of its territory.” He called it a “shameful attitude” and a “disturbing occurrence” when the HR/VP “does not recognize, but instead opposes, the will of the Georgian people.”

Papuashvili wrote in a Facebook post, sharing Kallas’ comments, that “such rhetoric not only adds nothing to Georgia-EU relations, but further undermines the already weakened trust in Brussels among the Georgian public.” He added, “Such a statement implies that, in Ms. Kallas’ view, the Georgian people are incapable of choosing their own government and therefore need external supervision and guidance. This is not support for the Georgian people, but disrespect for their political choice.”

In her Facebook post, FM Botchorishvili said, “It is regrettable when the EU’s top diplomat openly state that she does not seek engagement with Georgia’s Government, chosen through the democratic will of the Georgian people, while claiming to support those same people. Dialogue, not disengagement, is the foundation of a genuine partnership.” She added that “Georgia remains committed to respectful engagement with the European Union in the interest of our citizens and our shared European future.”

A number of Western officials, institutions, and resolutions have expressed criticism of the Georgian Dream government while voicing support for the Georgian people, especially following the widely disputed October 26, 2024 parliamentary elections and subsequent events. Meanwhile, Georgian Dream, which faces legitimacy questions, insists that it is the democratically elected government and has dismissed concerns over the conduct of the elections.

Also Read:

• 09/07/2026 – Papuashvili Joins EU Candidate Countries’ Parliamentary Conference in Belgrade
• 21/04/2026 – Kos: EU to Involve Georgia in Connectivity to Extent Tbilisi’s Willing to Engage ‘On Other Areas’

A meeting has been held between the Ministry of Science and Education and the Ministry of Culture on the implementation of the “Azerbaijani Culture – 2040 Cultural Concept of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” AzerNEWS reports.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made a series of strongly worded remarks about the European Union, the OSCE and Western institutions during a special briefing. He also criticised EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas over her stance on Georgia’s authorities, commented on the influence of the so-called “deep state”, and responded to a critical resolution adopted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

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“Russia does not recognise Georgia’s sovereignty over 20% of its territory. Kallas does not recognise it over 100%.”

Irakli Kobakhidze was responding to comments by Kaja Kallas, who, while discussing the EU’s Black Sea strategy, said the bloc had no ties with what she described as the “Ivanishvili government” and that its priority was to support the Georgian people.

Kobakhidze argued that, just as Russia does not recognise Georgia’s sovereignty over 20% of its territory, Kallas “does not recognise Georgia’s sovereignty over its entire territory”.

“We have often said that Russia does not recognise Georgia’s sovereignty over 20% of our territory, while Ms Kaja Kallas does not recognise Georgia’s sovereignty over 100% of the country’s territory. This is an absolutely disgraceful and deeply troubling attitude… When the European Union’s High Representative refuses to recognise the will of the Georgian people and stands against it, it is a very serious matter,” Kobakhidze said.

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“Deep state” and Western institutions

During the briefing, Kobakhidze spoke at length about what he described as the “deep state”, arguing that European institutions were accountable not to their voters but to informal oligarchic interests.

He said Georgia had become the main target of the “deep state” after 2022 because the government had refused to join sanctions against Russia and to “open a second front”.

According to Kobakhidze, this decision is why various political tools, including European institutions, are now being used against Georgia.

He also said the “price of comfort” offered by the “deep state” included “the spread of pseudo-liberal ideology, LGBT propaganda, the forced acceptance of migrants, and the abandonment of state sovereignty and national identity”.

Kobakhidze said the Georgian government would not accept such policies because they would threaten the country’s sovereignty.

He also argued that “unfair resolutions, absurd statements and attempts to stage a revolution” had failed to achieve their aims, adding that, despite these developments, the Georgian people had backed the ruling Georgian Dream party in 2024 and 2025.

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Criticism of the OSCE resolution

Kobakhidze also criticised the recent OSCE Parliamentary Assembly resolution on Georgia, describing it as “absurd” and claiming that European institutions were involved in an effort to bring about a change of government in the country.

He said: “Like other European institutions operating under informal oligarchic influence, the OSCE has now also been openly drawn into a process aimed at changing the government of Georgia and replacing it with obedient agents of the ‘deep state’ through unfair and disgraceful accusations, sanctions, and other instruments of pressure and blackmail.”

On 8 July, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted a critical resolution on Georgia calling on the authorities to release political prisoners, repeal laws restricting civil liberties and uphold democratic standards. The resolution, titled “On Protecting Electoral Integrity and Fundamental Freedoms in Georgia”, forms part of the Hague Declaration.

Tbilisi airport expansion

Alongside his foreign policy remarks, Kobakhidze also announced the launch of a major expansion project for Tbilisi International Airport.

He said the state would invest more than $150m under the agreement, increasing the airport’s annual capacity to 10 million passengers.

According to the prime minister, expanding the airport is strategically important for Georgia’s economy, tourism, connectivity and investment appeal.

Kobakhidze said Georgia’s aviation sector had grown rapidly in recent years, with more international routes added and numerous airlines entering the market. He said the international airports in Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi handled a combined 8.5 million passengers in 2025, while the country’s tourism and aviation sectors recorded their strongest results on record. He added that although growth had slowed slightly this year “against the backdrop of the crisis”, June still set a new record, and the government remained optimistic about the year’s overall performance.

Irakli Kobakhidze’s remarks on the West