EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, met with journalists on Tuesday. He expressed gratitude and solidarity with them for their hard work and dedication.
Herczynski said that the relationship between Georgia and the EU is at its lowest point ever. This is because of decisions made by the Georgian parliament and government that are not democratic. He also mentioned that he never thought he would see journalists being treated so badly, especially since Georgia was granted candidate status a year ago.
The Ambassador stated that for many years, the priority was to help develop good media standards in Georgia. However, now the focus is on protecting journalists from physical and verbal attacks, intimidation, and persecution. This is according to the statements of the Public Defender, which are very concerning.
Herczynski condemned efforts to silence journalists and stated that the EU supports free and independent journalism. He mentioned a quote from HR/VP Kaja Kallas, who said that democracies do not suppress opposition voices or limit media freedom.
The Ambassador also said that while the EU has stopped funding the Georgian government, it will increase support for civil society and independent media. He praised journalists for their resilience and courage, and stressed that their work is valuable to foreign diplomats like himself.
Protests in Georgia have been ongoing for 22 days, with thousands of people demanding new elections after electoral fraud and the Prime Minister’s decision to drop the EU bid. Over 70 journalists have been attacked while doing their jobs during this time.