United Neutral Georgia, a satellite of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has called on government-affiliated TV channels to organise ‘debates’ on Georgia’s EU integration, claiming the country ‘will not know peace’ without abandoning the idea.
The group, known for its fierce anti-EU stance, condemned the bloc as an organisation ‘in the final stage of degradation’, which it claims is run by ‘informal oligarchic families, aka “deep state” ’. It also expressed regret that the idea of EU integration is enshrined in Georgia’s Constitution.
The ‘deep state’, as well as ‘global war party’, are two nebulous terms that regularly fit into Georgian Dream’s conspiracy theories, and refer to shadowy forces that are trying to overthrow the Georgian government and push it into war with Russia.
The ruling party’s use of the term intensified amidst a sharp deterioration in relations with Western allies, following its adoption of several pieces of repressive legislation, as well as the widespread violations documented during the October 2024 parliamentary elections.
In its statement, United Neutral Georgia levelled a barrage of accusations against the EU, including that the bloc was ‘funding revolutions’ in Georgia, imposing ‘unjust sanctions’, and attempting to drag Georgia into Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine.
‘Against this backdrop, we have serious questions for the Georgian authorities: how long do they plan to ignore public opinion and continue the harmful process of EU integration, which is already being kept on artificial life support?!’ the statement read.
‘We assure Georgian Dream that it will not be able to suppress this issue for much longer, because it is the will of the people to reassess and fully reconsider the drive toward the European Union, which is steeped in servile submission and mired in economic, spiritual, and moral decay’, the group added.
To end their statement, United National Georgia called on pro-government TV channels Rustavi 2 and Imedi to ‘organise debates on Georgia’s EU integration in the shortest possible time’:
‘Until we free ourselves from the illusion of EU integration, which has already become a threat to Georgia, the country will not know peace’.
Georgian Dream representatives responded shortly afterwards, signaling their readiness to take part in the debates.
‘There may be people who say that EU integration carries risks; we are ready to discuss this issue with any group’, Georgian Dream’s Parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said at a Friday briefing.
He added that it was important the country was ‘not harmed’ in the process of EU integration.
‘It is important that EU integration is not confused with submission or with joining a union like we did during the Soviet Union’, Papuashvili emphasised.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze also responded to the offer, noting that ‘a healthy discussion can take place on any topic’.
‘The question here is not whether we must revise our constitutional objective. The point is that everything has its pros and cons, and there can be a normal, healthy discussion about what the pros and cons of EU integration are, for example’, he added.
The call by United Neutral Georgia comes against the backdrop of sharply strained relations between Georgia and its traditional partners, including the EU. Even so, the ruling party continues to claim its commitment to EU integration, though many critics, both domestically and abroad, accuse it of deliberately sabotaging the process.
OC Media
Commenting on the group’s call for debates on EU integration, Bakur Kvashilava, a member of the opposition Freedom Square party, described United Neutral Georgia as a ‘puppet’ of the ruling party, through which Georgian Dream broadcasts its messages, including anti-EU ideas.
‘Georgian Dream has long been in direct conflict with Article 78 of Georgia’s Constitution, which states that our goal must be EU integration. It’s unimaginable how Georgian Dream could debate its own policy. This will not be a real debate’, Kvashilava told Palitra News.
United Neutral Georgia was founded in July 2024 by Georgian Dream supporters just months before the disputed parliamentary elections. Since then, the group has actively promoted the abandonment of Georgia’s EU and Euro-Atlantic aspirations and has targeted the opposition, including by calling for the prosecution of opposition voters.
Since its founding, the group has frequently been promoted by pro-government media, with its influence extending beyond TV studios and social media. For example, in February 2025, the Prosecutor General’s Office launched an investigation into alleged sabotage targeting government critics, following a complaint filed by United Neutral Georgia.
Shota Kincha
