Speaking in Lithuania’s Parliament on March 25, former Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili warned that Georgia is facing an “existential challenge” as democratic institutions are being systematically dismantled by the ruling party. She urged Europe to take immediate action to prevent Georgia from falling under Russian influence, emphasizing that this crisis extends beyond Georgia itself.

Zourabichvili argued that the crisis in Georgia is no longer just about electoral fraud or political disputes. Addressing the European Union and NATO, she warned of the broader consequences if Georgia were to come under Russian control. “Europe must act now,” she declared, adding that if Georgia is allowed to slip back into Russian hands, it would not just be a loss for the country but a strategic disaster for Europe.

Speaking before Lithuania’s Seimas, Zourabichvili accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of reversing democratic progress and aligning Georgia with Russia’s authoritarian model. She argued that on November 28, the ruling party abruptly turned its back on its own promises, pushing Georgia back toward Russian domination. She criticized the government for abandoning its pro-European commitments and warned that Georgia risks becoming further entrenched in Moscow’s sphere of influence.

Zourabichvili condemned the government’s crackdown on dissent, highlighting the arrests of journalists, students, civil society leaders, and opposition figures. She accused authorities of using the judiciary and police as political weapons, citing the arrests of peaceful protesters and the detention of Mzia Amaghlobeli, director of the Batumelebi/Netgazeti media outlet. Zourabichvili also pointed to the government’s use of financial pressure to suppress opposition voices. She argued that the ruling party is no longer focused on governance but solely on suppressing opposition. She added that this is not just an erosion of democracy but a systematic dismantling of the state.

She also criticized Georgian Dream’s push to introduce a foreign agent law modeled after Russia’s, dismissing claims that it is based on the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Zourabichvili accused the ruling party of consolidating power under its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, and called on the EU to go beyond its current stance of “de facto non-recognition” of the Georgian government. Instead, she urged support for a peaceful resolution through free and fair elections.

Zourabichvili framed Georgia’s crisis as part of a broader geopolitical challenge orchestrated by Moscow, describing events in Georgia as part of a larger plan by Russia to reassert control over the Black Sea, the Caucasus, and Europe’s access to Central Asia. She criticized the Georgian government for obstructing key infrastructure projects, particularly the Anaklia Deep Sea Port, which she described as Georgia’s opportunity to establish an independent trade corridor outside Russian control.

The EU cannot afford to remain passive, Zourabichvili argued, calling for targeted sanctions tied to democratic reforms, including early elections. She emphasized that the stakes extend beyond Georgia’s borders. “This is not just about Georgia—it is about Europe’s strategic future and identity,” she stated. She called for a comprehensive Black Sea and Caucasus security strategy that strengthens NATO’s presence, secures European access to Central Asia, and counters Russian and Chinese influence in the region. A stable and democratic Georgia, she argued, is indispensable to this strategy, linking Georgia’s future to developments in the wider Caucasus, particularly the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process.

Zourabichvili concluded with a stark warning about the EU’s credibility, stating that if Europe cannot find the means to exert leverage over a small country with an overwhelmingly pro-European population, then the challenge would extend far beyond Georgia, ultimately calling into question the EU’s entire foreign policy credibility.