Georgia’s Foreign Ministry on 20 October the European Union of interfering in the country’s internal affairs after EU representatives raised concerns about a lawsuit seeking to ban five opposition parties. The ministry argued that statements questioning the legitimacy of the proceedings before the Constitutional Court had considered the case amounted to undue pressure on a constitutional institution and risked undermining judicial independence. The response by European Commission spokesperson Christian Wigand on 19 October, who warned that the case, alongside recent legislative changes and earlier statements about banning opposition parties, threatened fundamental freedoms, political pluralism and fair competition.

On 20 October, Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset also on Georgia’s ruling majority to preserve space for political opposition, while explicitly stating that he did not prejudge the court’s decision and respected the principles of national sovereignty and judicial independence. Berset stressed that political pluralism is central to democracy and to Georgia’s obligations as a member of the Council of Europe. He also referred to European Court of Human Rights jurisprudence, under which dissolving a political party requires particularly compelling justification and must meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality. According to Berset, the Council of Europe would closely monitor developments and continue its dialogue with Georgia.

Georgian Dream officials have European institutions of applying double standards in their responses to political unrest in Georgia, France and Albania. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze alleged that European representatives had encouraged anti-government protests in Georgia while condemning violence elsewhere. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili pointed to the European Commission’s 18 October statement condemning arson, attacks on state institutions and property destruction during protests in Albania, arguing that Brussels should have issued comparable statements about previous episodes of unrest in Georgia since 2019.

Kobakhidze further that challenges to Georgia’s sovereignty from Russia and the EU were similar in nature, differing in scale. Prime Minister emphasized that Russia’s occupation of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region represented a substantially greater threat, but maintained that European criticism of Georgia’s domestic political developments also constituted interference. Kobakhidze said Tbilisi remained open to dialogue with both Moscow and European institutions if they changed their respective approaches.

Ahead of the hearings, opposition leaders the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Germany and France at the British Embassy in Tbilisi. Opposition representatives highlighted that the discussion focused on the country’s political situation and the potential consequences of the proposed bans. The Constitutional Court hearings are set to become the next focal point in relations between Tbilisi and Brussels. The lawsuit, filed by 88 lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream party, seeks to ban the United National Movement, Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia-Lelo, the Federalists, and Gakharia’s For Georgia. The Constitutional Court is scheduled to begin hearings on 21 October, with proceedings set to continue through 23 October.