French President Emmanuel Macron expressed regret that Georgia is deviating from its European trajectory and warned that France will carefully monitor the upcoming parliamentary elections in the country on October 26, reported France Press, quoted by BTA.
During a meeting with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili at the Elysee Palace, Macron stressed that Georgia had seen negative developments in recent months, including the adoption of a law that diverted the country from its European path and delayed the accession process to the European Union.
The controversial law, which limits the rights of the LGBT community, was promulgated by the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, despite President Zurabishvili's refusal to sign it. This is the second law restricting civil liberties in Georgia, after the foreign influence law passed in June.
Georgia's government has been criticized for straying from its European ambitions and rapprochement with Russia, and Macron stressed that France and European partners will monitor the conditions of the election.
On the same day, Macron also held a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, during which he called for the recent signing of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Macron expressed France's determination to support Armenia's sovereignty and peace efforts in the region.
The two sides have made progress in negotiations, with 80% of the points in a potential peace deal already agreed upon. However, Azerbaijan insists on the settlement of all issues before the agreement is signed.