Lithuania and its Embassy do not in any way condone violence and express confidence in the capacity of the Georgian police and security forces, reads the statement, issued by the Embassy of Lithuania to Georgia.

“Lithuania has long been and remains committed to promote the unique character of the long-standing friendship and special relations between Georgia and the Republic of Lithuania, alongside Lithuania’s unequivocal support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Lithuania and its people were the first to extend a hand of support to Georgia in August 2008. In a sign of unwavering solidarity, President Valdas Adamkus came to Tbilisi while Russian military forces advanced on the territory of Georgia.

Today, having been granted the EU Candidate Status on 14 December 2023, on the understanding that the 9 steps set out by European Commission are taken, Georgia is closer than ever to starting accession negotiations and afterwards joining the European Union. December’s decision of the European Council was wholeheartedly supported by Lithuania.

Among other steps, Georgia has been invited to fight disinformation and foreign information manipulation and interference against the EU and its values, and to ensure that its civil society can operate freely. In this regard, the current draft law On Transparency of Foreign Influence contradicts the EU recommendations and is incompatible with EU norms and values. These developments cause significant concern for Lithuania, as well as for the European Union.

In the context of recent allegations referring to remarks made by a Lithuanian member of the European Parliament, we would like to note that members of the European Parliament do not coordinate or represent positions of their countries of origin; therefore, the Lithuanian Embassy is not in a position to comment on such remarks.

Lithuania and its Embassy do not in any way condone violence and express confidence in the capacity of the Georgian police and security forces to guarantee freedom of assembly and freedom of expression, especially in view of the need to ensure an effective dialogue with civil society.

Lithuania sincerely hopes that Georgia will use the historic window of opportunity of a reinvigorated EU enlargement process, will implement all the European Commission‘s recommendations and will be in a position to start the accession negotiations swiftly”, - reads the statement.