Kaladze: Tbilisi ready for partnership with EU if Georgia's independence respected

Tbilisi is ready to establish a partnership with the EU, but Brussels needs to respect Georgia in return, Tbilisi Mayor and Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party Kakha Kaladze said.

"We have repeatedly stated that we are open to friendship and partnership. But it cannot be one-sided. We only ask one thing, a fair treatment of Georgia and the Georgian people, respect for our constitution, and our independence," Kaladze said.

According to him, the EU speaks of friendship with Georgia while attempting to overthrow the government, which is unacceptable.

"On one hand, they (the EU — TASS) call themselves friends of Georgia, yet on the other, they have engaged in a coup, revolutionary actions, extremism, and encouraged offenders. Such behavior is incompatible with genuine friendship or partnership," Kaladze said.

Earlier, Georgia's Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said that Brussels is to blame for the deterioration of Georgia-EU relations.