EU can't allow Georgia follow Belarus' path – Lithuanian president

VILNIUS – Amid ongoing protests in Georgia over the government's decision to delay EU membership talks, President Gitanas Nauseda said that the European Union cannot allow the Black Sea nation "to follow the path of Belarus". 

Nauseda emphasized this during a phone call on Sunday with Ursula von der Leyen, who began her second term as president of the European Commission, the Lithuanian president's office said in a press release. 

The Lithuanian leader also called for a further expansion of sanctions against Russia, particularly targeting its energy and financial sectors, and for sufficient funding for the European defense industry.

"As the security situation in Europe remains complex, it is essential to continue to focus on adequate funding for the European defense industry. This is particularly crucial for EU countries bordering Russia and Belarus, which face the greatest threats," he was quoted as saying in the press release.

In a phone call with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili earlier on Sunday, Nauseda condemned the use of force against the Georgian people and "underscored Lithuania's strong support" for the European Parliament's call for a new parliamentary election in the South Caucasus country.

"The current government's actions are inconsistent with the expectations of the country's President and a significant portion of Georgian society. We condemn the use of force against the Georgian people and their detention, and we urge the government to put an immediate stop to such practices," he said in a press release.  

Nauseda reiterated that the October 26 parliamentary election in Georgia was "neither entirely free nor fair" and called for "an independent international investigation into reported irregularities, pressure on voters and their intimidation, which may have affected the election results".

Thousands of people gathered in Tbilisi and other cities for rallies after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced on Thursday the government's decision to postpone the country's EU accession bid until 2028.

The former Soviet republic officially gained EU candidate status in December 2023. However, Brussels has frozen the process, demanding concrete steps from Tbilisi to address what it calls democratic backsliding.

Opposition lawmakers are boycotting the new parliament, and pro-Western President Zourabichvili is seeking to have the election results annulled through the country’s Constitutional Court. On Saturday, she said she would not step down until last month's contested parliamentary election is re-run.