French ambassador: France suspends direct aid to Georgia's budget

French Ambassador to Georgia, Sheraz Gasri, informed journalists on July 11 that France is suspending direct aid to Georgia’s budget.

During a ceremonial reception in Tbilisi marking Bastille Day, she also mentioned that the process of Georgia’s accession to the European Union is frozen. The ambassador’s remarks were published on the public broadcaster’s website.

“On June 27, the European Council concluded that Georgia’s path to EU accession is de facto halted, a result of decisions made by the Georgian government that are widely known. For this reason, we have decided to temporarily suspend our direct aid to Georgia’s budget and bolster support for civil society and media. The Georgian government must change course for us to resume activities aligned with our intentions, namely, to continue supporting Georgia across all sectors,” said Sheraz Gasri.

As the representative of the country hosting the 2024 Olympic Games, French Ambassador Sheraz Gasri extended wishes of success to Georgian athletes.

“This year, our national celebration takes place in a special context, as France prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, starting in two weeks. It’s an opportunity for us to wish many victories to all nations, including our Georgian friends. Georgia has recently achieved successes in football. We wish you victories in other sports and, of course, success on the European path,” said Sheraz Gasri.