Hungary and Slovakia have blocked EU sanctions against Georgian officials following the crackdown on protests in the country, pushing back against what they see as unjustified interference from Brussels.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó didn’t mince words, labeling the EU’s proposed sanctions as “political hypocrisy.” He argued that Brussels was targeting Georgia simply because a “peace-oriented, patriotic, conservative party” had won the recent elections, instead of the liberal factions Brussels typically supports.
Slovakia’s Foreign Minister, Juraj Blanár, backed up Hungary’s stance, insisting that his country respects nations’ right to choose their own political direction. “We do not want to interfere with the results of the elections in Georgia,” he said.
This clash between Central Europe and Brussels centers around Georgia’s recent political moves. After the conservative Georgian Dream party won parliamentary elections in October, tensions between the EU and Georgia have been on the rise. Brussels was quick to dismiss the legitimacy of the vote, despite international observers finding no substantial evidence of election tampering, though they did note some violations.
To make matters worse, Georgia’s Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, halted the country’s EU membership bid, calling the EU’s demands for a rerun of the elections “shameful and offensive blackmail.” He also denounced what he described as “woke overreach” in Georgia’s domestic affairs.
While the EU and its officials continue to criticize Georgia for its conservative stance on issues like LGBT rights and its pragmatic relationship with Russia, Georgian Dream remains committed to EU membership. However, their push for closer ties with Europe has been complicated by the EU’s refusal to accept Georgia’s independent decisions.
The EU’s foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas, pushed for sanctions on Georgian officials she accused of suppressing peaceful protests. However, Hungary and Slovakia vetoed the proposal during a foreign ministers’ meeting on December 16th. Both countries emphasized that the EU had no right to question the will of the Georgian people. Szijjártó pointed out that Georgian Dream’s electoral victory should be respected by all.
Kallas was clearly displeased with the veto, mockingly stating, “It’s my first Hungarian veto, but I can guarantee it’s not the last.” However, despite the veto, Kallas managed to secure a suspension of visa-free travel for Georgian officials holding diplomatic passports, which required only a majority vote.
Prime Minister Kobakhidze condemned the move, calling it “an unequivocally anti-Georgian step” and warned that such actions would only undermine public trust in European institutions.
While Hungary and Slovakia have taken a strong stand against the sanctions, Kobakhidze thanked countries like Italy, Spain, and Romania for supporting Georgia’s interests at the Council meeting. He noted that the opposition to the EU’s sanctions was more widespread than just those two nations.
