Hungary vows to veto sanctions on Georgia
Date
12/14/2024 12:15:26 PM
(MENAFN) Hungary has pledged to veto any EU sanctions targeting Georgian officials, including the country’s interior Minister and senior Police officers, over their response to recent protests in Tbilisi. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto made the announcement on Tuesday, stating that Hungary would block any proposed sanctions, assuring Georgia of its support.
The protests in Georgia began in late November after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that the country would suspend its EU accession talks until 2028, citing pressure and manipulation from Brussels. The protests have continued for weeks, with more than 400 people arrested and over 150 police officers injured, according to Georgian authorities.
Szijjarto confirmed that the European Union had proposed placing Georgia's interior minister and two top police officials on its sanctions list due to their actions during the protests. Hungary, however, made it clear it would veto any such measures.
The EU had previously expressed concern over Georgia's democratic backsliding, particularly following the passage of controversial laws, such as one requiring NGOs receiving foreign funding to register as foreign agents and another restricting LGBTQ+ propaganda. These actions have strained Georgia's relations with the EU.
Prime Minister Kobakhidze's government, however, maintains that it wants stable relations with both the EU and Russia, and his Georgian Dream party won the October parliamentary elections with nearly 54% of the vote. Pro-Western opposition parties, along with Georgia’s president, Salome Zourabichvili, have criticized the election results, accusing the government of undermining democracy.
Szijjarto criticized the EU's approach, claiming that Brussels would have praised Georgia's democracy if the opposition had won the elections. He condemned the EU’s actions as undemocratic, asserting that Hungary would continue to support Georgia’s sovereignty.
MENAFN14122024000045015687ID1108993015
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.