Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili has delivered a sharply worded speech at the 135th session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Chisinau, accusing European politicians of double standards, politicised criticism of Tbilisi, and a selective approach to democracy and freedom of expression.

She said Europe today faces not only wars and conflicts, but also what she described as the “relativisation of truth”, the weakening of democratic principles and the replacement of values with political expediency, News.Az reports, citing News Georgia.

“Today Europe faces many challenges, however war and conflicts are not the only threat undermining the foundation on which Europe is built. No less dangerous are double standards and the weakening of democratic principles in the name of democracy,” Bochorishvili said.

The Georgian foreign minister also criticised Moldova’s decision not to allow journalists from three Georgian pro-government television channels into the country to cover the meeting in Chisinau, saying such actions were troubling given repeated declarations on media freedom.

“It is concerning when freedom of expression and freedom of the media are interpreted selectively,” she said.

Bochorishvili further accused Western partners of hypocrisy, arguing that there is inconsistency between rhetoric and practice in their approach to Georgia.

“It is hypocrisy to simultaneously express concern over a ‘rollback of democracy’ and encourage radical forces that refuse to participate in elections; to declare support for the Georgian people while demonstratively distancing oneself from the elected Georgian government; to speak about the rule of law while at the same time seeking ways to bypass law and justice,” she said.

She noted that 20% of Georgia’s territory remains under Russian occupation and that hundreds of thousands of citizens are still unable to return to their homes.

“Criticising a country occupied by Russia for insufficient resistance to Russia and easily labelling it as ‘pro-Russian’ is no longer a political assessment, but an oversimplification of reality and an avoidance of one’s own responsibility,” Bochorishvili said.

The minister also referred to an agreement signed on 9 May 2026 between Moscow and Tskhinvali, describing it as another step towards the annexation of Georgian regions. Tbilisi has not yet officially commented on the agreement.

She stressed that Georgia remains committed to a peaceful resolution of the conflict and avoids escalation, while also underlining the importance of adherence to international law.

“Today, as the war in Ukraine continues, we see even more clearly that no country can be truly secure if international law is applied selectively, if occupation becomes a ‘new normal’ over time, and if force prevails over law.

“We know well the price of war, and we understand that peace is not only the absence of military escalation, but also responsibility towards one’s own people, the region and the shared European future,” she said.

News.Az