Month: July 2026
Sociologist Iago Kachkachishvili says the Georgian government’s anti-European messaging has undergone a significant shift. In his view, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili’s recent suggestion that Georgia could even benefit from remaining outside the European Union indicates that the authorities are no longer merely criticising what they describe as the EU’s current course. Instead, they are beginning to challenge the very idea of Georgia joining the bloc.
Earlier, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said that European Union membership should not be an end in itself, while criticising proposals that, he said, would weaken the principle of consensus in the bloc’s decision-making process.
He argued that if such changes were introduced, remaining outside the EU could become more advantageous for some smaller states, as they would have greater freedom to make independent decisions
Iago Kachkachishvili: “Shalva Papuashvili has openly written that it could even be beneficial for Georgia not to join the European Union, ‘because, at the very least, it would retain the freedom to make independent decisions.’
Openly discussing the benefits of staying out of the EU marks a significant shift in the anti-European propaganda of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Until now, it sought to convince the public—primarily its own supporters—that the problem lay with the EU in its current, liberal form. According to its narrative, liberal forces in the bloc would gradually be replaced by conservatives, right-wing parties would come to power across the EU, and they would then throw open the doors to Georgia, allowing it to join the European family ‘with dignity’. This has largely been the core message of Georgian Dream’s propaganda.
Why, until now, was Georgian Dream unable to abandon the goal of EU membership? First, Article 78 of Georgia’s Constitution obliges the authorities to ensure that ‘the constitutional bodies shall take all measures within the scope of their competences to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.’ In addition, every public opinion survey showed that even among Georgian Dream supporters, a majority—around 60%—favoured joining the EU.
The role of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán should also be taken into account. He was Georgian Dream’s main ally and one of the leading advocates of right-wing forces within the European Union. Nor should we forget that, following Donald Trump’s election as US president, Georgian Dream expected liberal forces around the world to suffer a major setback. The party also anticipated that Russia—seen as the European Union’s principal adversary—would prevail in its war against Ukraine.
What is the situation now?
Georgian Dream appears to have concluded that its narrative about a future right-wing European Union has largely failed. Orbán has suffered setbacks, while the Trump administration has shown little sign of actively promoting the global rise of the radical right. Meanwhile, even commentators loyal to Vladimir Putin have begun acknowledging Russia’s inability to win the war. At the same time, the latest EU-funded survey, conducted in 2026, found that 71% of Georgians support joining the European Union, 17% are neutral, and 10% oppose membership. Clearly, the government’s aggressive anti-Western messaging has had some effect, with support falling from around 80–85%—most likely due to declining enthusiasm among Georgian Dream supporters.
Although EU membership is still backed by a clear majority of the population (71%), Georgian Dream now appears to be going all in. Until recently, the authorities argued that Georgia’s path towards Europe had merely been temporarily delayed. Now, however, they are attempting to fundamentally redefine the value of the European choice itself. Their apparent goal is to reduce support for EU membership, at least among their own supporters. At the same time, they seek to eliminate the opposition as a political force, secure a constitutional majority in the 2028 elections, and amend Article 78 of the Constitution, which commits the country to European integration. The authorities’ daily suppression of public protest serves the same objective. All of this is taking place under increasingly authoritarian domestic rule, without any guaranteed backing from right-wing allies abroad.
The coming months will show whether this new phase of anti-Western politics delivers the results Georgian Dream hopes for. For those resisting the government’s course, however, the guiding principle remains unchanged: protest at home, sanctions from abroad.
Georgian government’s anti-European rhetoric
Peace needs balanced institutional language. 📘 AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S BIASED POLITICS ✍️ İlaha KHANTAMİROVA 🔗 https://t.co/ZuIlKBAe9m #SouthCaucasus
MMA fighter Giorgi Kartvelishvili, together with several associates, has announced the creation of a new civic movement in Georgia aimed at “protecting traditional values, culture and national identity.”
Kartvelishvili unveiled the initiative at a special briefing, saying the organisation would “respond immediately” to issues involving the country’s ancestors, religion, history and other matters that the group considers offensive.
“If necessary, we’ll even go to prison,” Kartvelishvili said.
It remains unclear who will join the movement, how it will operate or what form it will take. Kartvelishvili said those details would be announced at a later date.
Kartvelishvili’s rhetoric has already won the backing of Archil Gorduladze, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, who said the initiative was “important and positive” but stressed that it “must operate within the law and fully comply with it.”
Lawyers, however, argue that the proposed group amounts to an illegal formation, and that establishing, leading or joining such an organisation is a criminal offence under Georgian law.
Kartvelishvili has previously been accused by some activists of mobilising titushky — organised groups of aggressive enforcers often used to intimidate opponents. Several days ago, pro-government media also described him as a friend of Niko Khurtsilava, who recently attacked comedian Onise Okriashvili.
What Kartvelishvili said
According to Kartvelishvili, Georgia’s identity, traditions, religion and cultural heritage have come under deliberate attack in recent years.
“Our identity, traditions, values and religion, as well as the achievements that have enriched Georgian culture throughout its history, have repeatedly been the target of coordinated attacks,” the MMA fighter said.
According to Kartvelishvili, these developments are being driven by “foreign-funded groups, politicians, activists and media representatives” seeking to undermine Georgian values.
He said the new movement would begin confronting individuals and groups that are “under the influence of external interests” and called on supporters to join the initiative.
Lawyers’ comments
Lawyer Boris Kurua told Netgazeti that it was unlikely Kartvelishvili had launched such an initiative without the approval of the security services.
Kurua said: “If anyone still had even the slightest doubt that they might not actually be planning to commit a crime, the statement made at the briefing — ‘we’re ready to go to prison’ — makes everything more than clear.
“If members of this group arm themselves with nothing more than wooden sticks, it would already fall under Article 223 of the Criminal Code. In other words, this would constitute an illegal formation, and establishing, leading or joining such a group is a criminal offence.
“Article 223 of the Criminal Code covers the establishment of an illegal formation, its leadership, joining such a formation, participating in it, or carrying out any other activities on its behalf. The offence is punishable by three to seven years in prison. If such actions result in serious consequences, the prison sentence increases to between four and eight years.
“If, for a moment, we imagine that this group is being created without the approval of the security services, then, assuming law enforcement is functioning effectively, those involved should be prosecuted even at the stage of preparing the crime. It’s difficult for me to imagine Kartvelishvili taking such an initiative without the security services’ approval.”
Lawyer Omar Purtseladze also commented on the situation for Netgazeti. In addition to the potential criminal offence, he argued that Giorgi Kartvelishvili’s briefing amounted to a political statement.
“The creation by individuals or groups close to the authorities of an organisation whose purpose is to persecute people on ideological grounds is not only a serious legal issue but also a political statement. I hope someone will show at least a minimum degree of prudence to prevent the situation from becoming even more radicalised in an already deeply polarised environment,” Purtseladze said.
Protecting traditional values in Georgia
The State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) said on July 27 that it arrested a former employee of a law enforcement agency who allegedly used the names of SSSG chief Geka Geladze and Georgian Dream honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili’s son, Tsotne Ivanishvili, to obtain GEL 11,300 (approximately USD 4,500) from the family members of two defendants held in prison.
According to the SSSG, the suspect deceived the family members by promising that the two defendants would be released from prison and later enter into plea agreements, using Geladze’s and Ivanishvili’s names in the process. The agency did not disclose the suspect’s name, the identities of the two defendants whose release he allegedly promised, or the law enforcement agency where the individual worked.
The investigation is underway under Article 180 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which covers fraud involving large amounts of money and carries a prison sentence of six to nine years.
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Inter RAO, one of Russia’s largest state-controlled energy companies and the indirect owner of several major power assets in Georgia, was included in the European Union’s latest sanctions list against Moscow.
The EU said Inter RAO was sanctioned because it provides financial support to the Russian government through its revenues, taxes and dividends. It cited the company’s importance in Russia’s energy sector and its state ownership.
In Georgia, Inter RAO controls its assets through two Netherlands-registered subsidiaries — Silk Road Holdings B.V. and Gardabani Holdings B.V.
Silk Road Holdings owns a 75.47% stake in the Telasi Group, according to corporate information cited by local Business Media Georgia (bm.ge). The group includes electricity distributor Telasi and supplier Telmiko, serving consumers in Tbilisi.
Through Gardabani Holdings B.V., Inter RAO owns the Khramhesi I and Khramhesi II hydropower plants. In 2020, they were responsible for 3.6% of the generated electricity in Georgia.
Inter RAO has also been involved in an investment dispute with the Georgian government. In 2023, the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) ordered Georgia to pay about USD 76 million, plus interest, to Inter RAO subsidiaries Silk Road Holdings and Gardabani over changes to the country’s electricity tariff methodology introduced in 2014. The arbitration proceedings were initiated in 2017.
The EU’s 21st Russia sanctions package also included other measures affecting Georgia. It conditionally included the Kulevi oil refinery on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, with a transaction ban set to take effect in six months unless the decision is reassessed, and sanctioned three Georgia-based cryptocurrency service platforms. The sanctions list also included the operator of the Russian money transfer system Zolotaya Korona, which suspended transfers to Georgia following the sanctions.
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The European Union has deployed aircraft, helicopters, and firefighting teams to France and Spain through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism as both countries battle large-scale wildfires.
According to the European Commission, cited by Report‘s European bureau, the fires have triggered one of the largest evacuation operations in Europe, with more than 300,000 people evacuated.
The EU has sent seven aircraft and four helicopters to France from the Czech Republic, Croatia, Germany, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, and Türkiye. Most of the aircraft are part of the EU’s shared rescEU reserve.
Spain has received six firefighting aircraft from Greece, Italy, and Türkiye, along with 134 firefighters and 41 vehicles from Portugal.
The European Commission said EU resources are also assisting Tunisia. Under the rapid response mechanism, Italy has deployed a Canadair amphibious firefighting aircraft based in Sicily. The aircraft conducts daily firefighting missions in Tunisia before returning to its base.
The EU’s Copernicus satellite system is providing emergency maps of the affected areas to support rescue operations. A European Commission representative has also been deployed to Bordeaux to coordinate assistance on the ground.
The Commission noted that, ahead of the current wildfire season, firefighting units from other European countries had been pre-positioned in France and Spain, allowing them to respond immediately once the fires broke out.
Under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, requests for assistance are circulated to all 37 participating countries, which can provide aircraft, firefighting teams, equipment, or experts.
If national resources are insufficient, the EU activates its strategic rescEU reserve, which includes 22 firefighting aircraft and five helicopters.