"A shameful attack on the Georgian people and the Georgian state on their national holiday.” This was written by Georgian Prime Minister Papuashvili on his Facebook page, posting a joint statement by Macron, Tusk and Merz on the occasion of Georgia's Independence Day.

The letter of the European leaders, in particular, says that they support the democratic and European aspirations of the Georgian people.

 "These aspirations reflect its desire to be part of the European family. In this context, we strongly condemn the actions of the Georgian authorities leading to a rollback of democratic norms, as well as the attacks on civil society, the media and critics of the government. Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly must be guaranteed. Reports of excessive use of force require thorough investigation. Laws contrary to European standards should be reviewed and the much-needed reform process should be restarted.

Freedom of expression and freedom of assembly must be guaranteed. Reports of excessive use of force require a thorough investigation. Laws that contradict European standards need to be revised, and the process of much—needed reforms should be resumed. The Georgian authorities should restore dialogue with the opposition and civil society. The people of Georgia should not be deprived of the opportunities offered by the country's European path," the letter reads.