Georgia\u2019s Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili has said that a European Parliament resolution calling for sanctions against the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, and other officials is based on \u201cfalse narratives\u201d, but added that it cannot be completely ignored by Tbilisi. <\/p>\n
\u201cThese documents are entirely built on lies and false narratives, which are created with the sole purpose of damaging our country\u2019s interests and undermining its reputation,\u201d Bochorishvili said in an interview with the Imedi television channe, News.Az<\/a> reports, citing News Georgia<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThese documents have no binding force and carry no political weight\u2026 Nevertheless, for us, the European Parliament is an EU institution just like the European Commission and the Council of the European Union, so we cannot fully ignore its documents,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Bochorishvili said that European Parliament resolutions are not legally binding and \u201clargely mean nothing\u201d, but argued that they help shape political narratives that can influence perceptions of Georgia within the European Union.<\/p>\n \u201cFor this reason, Tbilisi should not leave such campaigns unanswered, even if they are authored by three Members of the European Parliament,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n On 17 June, the European Parliament adopted a tough resolution on Georgia by 436 votes to 145. MEPs cited a \u201cdramatic deterioration\u201d of the situation in the country, describing the methods of the ruling Georgian Dream party as a \u201cmirror image of Russian hybrid tactics\u201d, and again refused to recognise the legitimacy of parliamentary elections held in late 2024.<\/p>\n The resolution called on EU member states to impose personal sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on Georgian Dream founder billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, senior party figures, as well as judges and prosecutors. It also urged the repeal of several controversial laws, including the foreign agents legislation, and the release of critics of the government, whom the European Parliament refers to as \u201cpolitical prisoners\u201d.<\/p>\n In addition, the resolution called for restrictive measures against pro-government Georgian television channels Imedi, PosTV and Rustavi 2, accusing them of \u201csystematic disinformation against the EU\u201d, citing the example of the United Kingdom, which has already imposed sanctions on two of these broadcasters in February.<\/p>\n