“If the European Union is an organization that violates its own adopted laws and rules due to political ideology and makes such decisions, then let us reflect on where such a Europe is headed. If the visa-free regime had its own logical rules, which we have fulfilled and continue to fulfill, then what is all this based on?” said “Georgian Dream” MP Irakli Kadagishvili while speaking to journalists about the issue of suspending visa liberalization.
According to him, “when the EU says that LGBT propaganda should be encouraged, this is not stipulated in any of the EU’s founding or operational documents.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the government have already sent corresponding responses to the questionnaire. From this, we must see two things: one is the specific legal criteria by which the visa-free regime is introduced or changes are initiated. We have fulfilled all the conditions of these rules and laws. However, additional political rhetoric has been introduced, suggesting that family values should not be protected in Georgia and that LGBT propaganda should be encouraged. This is neither written in the framework of fundamental human rights nor in the context of visa liberalization. Transparency, including that of non-governmental organizations, does not contradict any democratic principle. Therefore, the picture is clear: one thing is what Georgia is obliged to do by law, which we faithfully fulfill. The other is a certain ideological ‘mainstream.’ They are trying to impose this ideology on us. We do not agree with this ideology and have a different stance on it. Europe is about rules written on paper. If they tell us which written rule Georgia is failing to meet, fine. But if they tell us that our laws must encourage LGBT propaganda, this is not in any of the EU’s founding or operational documents. Human rights in Georgia are protected to a high standard,” Kadagishvili noted.
Speaking on the same topic, Kadagishvili clarified that “either the EU respects us and cooperates based on the laws and rules they themselves have adopted, or we will always be a pawn in their game, with some official declaring that we must now act differently and adapt.”
“This is not about visa-free travel; no one can suspend it so easily. If the EU is an organization that violates its own adopted laws and rules due to political ideology and makes such decisions, then let us reflect on where such a Europe is headed. If the visa-free regime had its logical rules, which we fulfilled and continue to fulfill, then what is all this based on? Which human right has been violated? One thing must be understood: when a demonstration turns into violence and that violence is suppressed by the force of law, this is not a violation of democracy – it is the protection of democracy,” Kadagishvili stated.
Irakli Kadagishvili: The Foreign Ministry and the government have already sent the corresponding responses to the questionnaire; If the European Union is an organization that violates its own laws and rules due to political ideology, then let us reflect on where such a Europe is headed
