On 10 March, the Vice-President of European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles spoke in front of the EU parliament on the current political crisis in Georgia, saying that he is looking forward to seeing progress in the dialogue between the government and the opposition. Noting that Georgia remains EU's “key associated partner,” Borrell said the EU has “an ambitious association agreement” with Georgia “that has offered crucial political association and economic integration with the EU.” “However, unhappily, the political situation in the country has been a cause of serious concerns in recent months due to increasing political polarisation. This situation risks undermining Georgia’s democracy,” he added, calling all parties in Georgia to step up efforts to deescalate the situation and to come together to identify and agree on common ground. 

Borell further underscored that: 1) the government needs to provide inclusive leadership putting the interest of the Georgian people first 2) all sides must refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric. He further emphasized that the EU sees as priorities the consolidation of democracy, including electoral reform, political stability and an inclusive parliamentarian process in Georgia. “A fair, independent, yet accountable judiciary is also of paramount importance. These are prerequisites for Georgia to further deepen its partnership with European Union in line with the Association Agreement,” Borell underlined.  

An interesting statement was given by the EU parliamentarian Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Alliance ‘90/Greens) who heavily criticised the statements of Georgia’s former President and current head of the executive reform committee in Ukraine Mikheil Saakashvili. Cramon-Taubadel said that the former Georgian president has a destabilising impact on the current political situation in Georgia. She also was critical towards the former chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili, calling him and Saakashvili as “harmful shadow actors” who “should stop any further interference.” “There is no equivalent between the means the two actors possess to interfere. Ivanishvili practically owns the Georgian government, and the country for that matter, while Saakashvili is a crazy leader in exile, whose party (United National Movement) not necessarily listens to him anymore. So, Ivanishvili has more responsibility. Every time Saakashvili speaks up the country is an even deeper political mess,” she stressed.