EU officials have long been quietly frustrated with the increasingly authoritarian and erratic leadership of President Mikheil Saakashvili since the Rose Revolution of 2003. The bloc was shaken by the violent suppression of opposition demonstrations in late 2007 and was caught off-guard by the country's conflict with Russia in August 2008. An EU-sponsored inquiry into the causes of war all but laid the blame at Saakashvili's door, accusing him of overreacting to Russian provocations.

Most recently, Brussels was baffled by a fictitious news report broadcast on March 13 by Georgia's pro-government Imedi TV station. The report, which created widespread panic within the country, suggested that Russian forces had once again invaded Georgia, Saakashvili had been killed, and opposition leader Nino Burjanadze had assumed power with Russian support.

By Ahto Lobjakas

Read more on http://www.rferl.org/content/In_EU_Frustration_With_Georgia_Now_Evident/1987346.html

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