During the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg, Law and Justice MEPs Adam Bielan and Małgorzata Gosiewska spoke in a debate on the deepening democratic crisis in Georgia. The PiS politicians warned against the systematic dismantling of democracy in that country, the brutal repression of peaceful demonstrators, and the Kremlin’s growing influence in Tbilisi. In their view, the lack of decisive action on the part of the EU not only undermines the Community’s credibility as a defender of democratic values but also amounts to de facto consent to Georgia’s subjugation to the Russian sphere of influence.
Adam Bielan drew attention to Georgia’s rapid departure from democratic standards. “We are witnessing Georgia’s rapid shift toward authoritarianism, driven by repressive legislation from the Georgian Dream party targeting civil society and the media,” the MEP emphasized.
The PiS MEP expressed deep regret over the ruling party’s abandonment of a genuine path toward European and Euro-Atlantic integration. “The ruling party has turned away from the path of genuine European integration and NATO membership, while increasing the country’s vulnerability to external influences, primarily from the Kremlin,” he noted.
The MEP unequivocally sided with Georgian civil society. “I want to make this clear: our solidarity lies with the Georgian people and with Georgia’s vibrant civil society, which for years has been the driving force behind the country’s rapprochement with the Euro-Atlantic community,” he said.
Adam Bielan also renewed his urgent appeal for the release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili. “We firmly reiterate our demand for the unconditional release of Mikheil Saakashvili so that he can receive appropriate medical treatment abroad. His recent transfer back to the prison in Rustavi was a politically motivated decision,” he stated.
In conclusion, he emphasized that Georgia’s European future remains possible. “Georgia still has a European choice, but that choice is made by free citizens, free institutions, and free debate,” he concluded.
“I speak as a Polish woman who remembers the smell of tear gas, and as a friend of Georgia, which today is losing its sovereignty not as a result of open military aggression, but through actions that undermine its democracy,” emphasized Małgorzata Gosiewska.
According to the PiS MEP, the situation in Tbilisi is no longer purely political and has taken on a criminal dimension. She drew attention to the authorities’ brutal actions against peaceful demonstrators, including students holding European Union flags.
“The regime is using chemical irritants against students whose only ‘crime’ is standing under the European flag,” she noted.
The MEP also recalled the European Parliament’s repeated calls for the release of former President Mikheil Saakashvili, which—as she pointed out—have been completely ignored by the Georgian authorities.
"President Saakashvili’s continued imprisonment is not a legal decision, but a political signal of loyalty to the Kremlin. It is part of Vladimir Putin’s personal vendetta," she stated.
In her speech, Małgorzata Gosiewska unequivocally identified who bears responsibility for the current situation in Georgia. “The architect of this catastrophe is Bidzina Ivanishvili,” she stated, recalling that the United States has already imposed sanctions on him, describing him as a Russian puppet who seized control of the state apparatus in order to dismantle Georgia’s sovereignty.
The MEP called on the European Union to take immediate and decisive action.
“We cannot pretend that we have a partnership with a Russian proxy. The time for ‘expressing concern’ is over. The EU must impose sanctions on Ivanishvili,” she emphasized.
In conclusion, Małgorzata Gosiewska warned that a lack of a decisive response from the EU would lead to dramatic geopolitical consequences.
"If we don’t act now, we will witness the Iron Curtain falling once again over the Caucasus," she concluded.
