MEP Thierry Mariani says European Parliament’s Georgia resolution aims to help opposition

French Member of the European Parliament Thierry Mariani said on Thursday that the European Parliament’s latest resolution on Georgia was essentially an attempt to support the country’s opposition, arguing that the EU applies double standards to Georgia and its own member states.

Mariani made the remarks after the European Parliament adopted another resolution on Georgia during a plenary session. The resolution was supported by 445 MEPs, while 37 voted against it and 97 abstained.

“The EU’s targeted policy, particularly on the part of the European Parliament, focuses on two countries: Serbia and Georgia. If you look at one session, a resolution is adopted against Serbia; at the next session, a resolution is adopted against Georgia. So I am ready to bet that there will be another session in two weeks, and I am certain that this time the resolution will target Serbia rather than Georgia, because Serbia has elections”, Mariani said.

He argued that the resolution was politically motivated and questioned what he described as the EU’s inconsistent approach to legislation on foreign interference.

“It is perfectly clear that this resolution is, in fact, an attempt to help the opposition in Georgia. The EU’s rules are very clear - you are not allowed to do what I do”, Mariani continued.

Referring to Georgia’s EU integration process, which was halted in June 2024, Mariani argued that the decision followed the Georgian Government and Parliament’s adoption of a law on foreign influence.

“However, we are adopting exactly the same kind of law here in Strasbourg. This means that when the European Parliament adopts legislation on foreign interference, it is considered good, but when the Georgian Parliament does the same, it is considered bad”, he said.

Mariani also cited Moldova as an example, claiming that a political party had been banned during the country’s most recent elections because it was not aligned with the EU, and alleging that the EU had failed to respond to the move.