Georgian Ambassador to France Resigns Over Russian Law

"In order to dispel the doubts caused by my silence regarding my attitude towards the European future of Georgia, I will repeat word for word what I sincerely said last year in those difficult days and I think is still relevant today:

Europe is not just a space surrounded by borders. Europe is primarily a set of values. Europeanness is a commitment to these values. Georgia, which I serve, is neither only the government nor only the opposition. Neither one nor the other embodies the present and future of the country. Only the people, its history, and culture determine such a fundamental mission of the country as its spiritual and cultural identity. The will and testament of our ancestors are the European future of our homeland. By understanding the past and the future, Georgia will remain faithful to the European path. I serve this way with my modest work. This is my belief and the position of a citizen. To this day, I serve the European cause of Georgia with full consciousness and sincerity. I don't understand any other way or business.

I have been serving in Georgian diplomacy for 30 years and taught European integration for 10 years. I also believe and have convinced my students that we are a country of European culture and future. Europe is our place. I assured them that Europe does not need us to be a sterile nation; rather, we should enrich Europe with our peculiarities, our unique language, alphabet, and polyphony, our rich traditions and ancient culture, our charm and charisma. If I didn't honestly believe that, no one would have stopped me in this job until now.

I will also add that I firmly believe that Georgia has already strengthened enough in national values. We know the price of freedom and independence. The Georgian nation has seen and experienced so much from Russia that the Georgian land will never again be fertile for Russian seeds and saplings.

Personally, I do not know anyone around me, neither in the government nor among diplomats, who is openly pro-Russian. I understand that this can be a kind of tactic to achieve a certain goal. However, I no longer see my role and resources in this direction: to move towards Europe and to protect myself from Europe.

The environment and mood created in relations with our friends and foreign partners due to the reincarnated draft law make my mission as the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Georgia to the French Republic and Monaco extremely difficult. Accordingly, I have already applied to my immediate management with a request to terminate my authority in the position I hold before the deadline.

I will also honestly say that we should express both protest and satisfaction at the elections. I don't want my honest opinion to be perceived as a political demarche for someone's benefit or to someone's detriment. After long hesitation, I want to free myself from the burden that I feel I can no longer handle. Even if I am wrong, I will not regret it. I will only act according to the dictates of my conscience. I also realize that I hurt many people with this decision and I feel it deeply. Even in the future, wherever I am, I will always be a supporter and fan of the European future of Georgia," wrote Gocha Javakhishvili. He was appointed as the Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Georgia to France in October 2022.

On April 3, 2024, Georgian Dream once again initiated the Russian Law on so-called Foreign Agents in the parliament, which was withdrawn a year ago as a result of thousands of protests, and promised to never accept it again. The Russian Law requires independent media and non-governmental organizations that operate with grant support from international funds and cannot be controlled by the government or related groups to register as foreign agents. Mass protests against the Russian law have been held in Tbilisi since April 15. Georgian Dream has already accepted the bill in two readings. The final hearing is scheduled for the week of May 13.