Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told the Parliament on February 12 that Georgian authorities act contrary to the values and principles upon which the EU is founded.

The position was outlined in the Statement of Government Policy, and during the debate on the floor, Stenergard also criticized the October parliamentary elections in Georgia, citing an "uneven playing field, entrenched polarization, pressure, and threats against voters."

Addressing the ongoing developments in Georgia, the statement said that "violence against peaceful protesters is unacceptable," adding that "Sweden wants to see sanctions against those responsible."

At the same time, she reaffirmed Sweden’s commitment to supporting democratic and pro-European movements in Georgia, also in the context of the EU enlargement, which she claimed was "essential to our security and economy." The Minister called EU enlargement "a geostrategic investment" and thus said, "It is in our interest to help the candidate countries move closer to the Union." Crucially for Georgia’s case, Minister Stenergard stressed that Sweden’s support for candidate countries remains "strong but not unconditional."

Sweden has historically been one of Georgia’s important aid donors. Due to Georgia’s democratic backsliding, Sweden suspended cooperation with the country shortly after the contested elections, on October 28, 2024. The Swedish Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Benjamin Dousa, stated then that "the development in Georgia has been very alarming for some time. The irregularities reported by international election observers in the weekend’s parliamentary election reinforce this."