On Georgia's Independence Day, Macron, Merz and Tusk call on authorities to resume dialogue with opposition

They once again condemned the actions of the Georgian authorities leading to a rollback of democratic norms

Tetiana Lanchukovska

News editor at LIGA.net

May 26, 15:05

Leaders of France, Germany and Poland (Photo: Malton Dibra/EPA)

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a joint statement on Georgia's Independence Day called on the authorities to resume a dialogue with the opposition and civil society. The text of the joint statement was published by Echo of the Caucasus.

"On the day of the celebration of Georgia's Independence Day, we would like to send a message of friendship and solidarity to the Georgian people, as well as reaffirm our unwavering support for the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the statement reads.

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The leaders of the three EU states supported the democratic and European aspirations of the Georgian people, which reflect their desire to be part of the European family.

Merz, Macron and Tusk once again condemned the actions of the Georgian authorities leading to a rollback of democratic norms, as well as attacks on civil society, media and government critics.

"Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly must be guaranteed. Reports of excessive use of force must be thoroughly investigated. Laws that contradict European standards must be reviewed and the process of much-needed reforms must be resumed," the leaders said .

The statement emphasizes that the Georgian authorities should resume dialogue with the opposition and civil society.

"The people of Georgia should not be deprived of the opportunities offered by the country's European path," they emphasized .

on November 28, 2024, the European Parliament called for new parliamentary elections to be held in Georgia. The country's opposition does not recognize the October vote.
On the same day, Kobakhidze said that Georgia refuses to negotiate on joining the EU until 2028. After this statement, rallies began in Tbilisi .
In February 2025, it was reported that the Parliament of Georgia, whose legitimacy is not recognized by the opposition and a significant part of the Georgian public, had had terminated the powers of 49 deputies.
On April 9, the Council of Europe Secretary General noted the poor dynamics of the organization's relations with the Georgian authorities, but believes that despite everything, Tbilisi should be given a chance for a "structured dialogue".