On December 2, Georgian Ambassador Irakli Kurashvili was summoned to the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Latvian authorities condemned the violence used by the Georgian government against demonstrators and handed the ambassador a note of protest.
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The Ministry’s statement stated that it "is following, with deep concern, developments in Georgia, where in recent days local law enforcement authorities have used violence against Georgian society exercising their right to peaceful assembly and protests in response to the Georgian government’s decision to suspend the process of Georgia’s integration into the European Union."
“Such measures taken by law enforcement authorities violate international human rights standards and are unacceptable," the Latvian Foreign Ministry added.
The ministry emphasized that the crackdown on demonstrators "runs counter to Georgia’s international commitments, including the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law in the country."
The Latvian Foreign Ministry called on the responsible Georgian state bodies to immediately cease the violence, ensure the safety of peaceful protesters, and punish the officials responsible for the violations.
Additionally, Latvia expressed solidarity with the Georgian people, including those public officials who condemned Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement that he would not begin negotiations on Georgia’s accession to the European Union until the end of 2028 and would refuse EU funding.
“This move is seen as a political change going against EU integration – a change which is contrary to Georgia’s Constitution and the aspirations of the majority of its population to Georgia’s accession to the EU,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in its statement.
On December 1, the foreign ministers of the three Baltic states - Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia - agreed to impose national sanctions on those who suppressed legitimate protests in Georgia. On December 2, Lithuania and Estonia imposed visa sanctions on 11 Georgian officials, including the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Vakhtang Gomelauri, and the head of the special forces, Zviad Kharazishvili (Khareba).
The Latvian Foreign Ministry has not yet published the list of those sanctioned. Minister Baiba Braže stated that the right to expression, peaceful assembly, and protest are fundamental human rights, and that the suppression of protests, along with the detention and beating of hundreds of people, cannot go without consequences. "We will take restrictive measures to prevent criminals from entering our countries," the Latvian Foreign Minister said.
