Parliament Speaker Calls on EU to Decide on Granting Georgia’s EU Candidate Status at EUSC

Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, attended the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments (EUSC) held in Prague on April 24-25. The conference focused on the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the EU’s response. Papuashvili took the opportunity to reiterate Georgia’s EU aspirations and held meetings with his colleagues from various EU member and candidate states.

Commenting on the conference the Chair of the Parliament said that it was a valuable opportunity to show solidarity with Ukraine in face of Russian aggression. He stressed the need for the European Union to take a more serious role in the South Caucasus region and to make a decision on Georgia’s EU status, adding that “it’s not time to merely speak of the open-door and progress. We need concrete decisions that the Georgian people are eagerly anticipating”. Papuashvili noted that Georgia was in a way torn from the Associated Trio last year when it did not receive the candidate status along with Moldova and Ukraine and called for the “restoration of Georgia’s former position in the Association Trio” alongside Moldova and Ukraine by the end of the year.

Addressing his colleagues during the conference, Papuashvili discussed the role of the European Union, noting that it must “cooperate with other democracies as a renowned and universal beacon of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law”. He emphasized that the European Union has much to offer and noted that other democratic partners, such as Georgia, have much to contribute, including “a dedicated optimist on guard for liberty and peace”.

Papuashvili emphasized the need for the EU to rely on trustworthy, fact-based narratives rather than perceptions. He warned against the dangers of perception-based narratives, which can weaken democracy, and stressed the importance of fact-based decision-making to maintain public trust in democratic institutions. “In current tsunami of disinformation, EU’s real strength is to advance narratives that are based on facts rather than perceptions,” – he stated.

He stressed that the promise of EU membership can promote democracy and strengthen fundamental rights in Georgia, but it must be based on a consistent, verifiable and institutionalized process, free from arbitrary or partisan interests. This approach is essential to guide democratic reforms and ensure a clear path to membership. “Currently, we have been quite successfully implementing EU’s 12 recommendations for the candidate country status,” Papuashvili noted, adding: “I believe in Europe. So does my freedom-loving nation. It is high time for Europe to believe in itself and in us too”.

During his working visit to the Czech Republic, the speaker of the Parliament of Georgia also held meetings with high-ranking representatives and speakers of various state parliaments. He met with representatives from EU member states, including Valérie Rabault, the vice president of the French National Assembly, as well as Urška Klakočar Zupančič, president of the National Assembly of Slovenia, and Annita Demetriou, president of the House of Representatives of Cyprus.

In addition, Papuashvili met with the representative of the EU candidate country – the Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, Talat Xhaferi, and the Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro, Danijela Đurović. Notably, he also held a meeting with Birgir Armannsson, Member of the Althing, “to intensify parliamentary exchanges and promote active bilateral relations between Georgia and Iceland”.

Concluding his visit, the Georgian speaker noted that “the participation of the Georgian parliamentary delegation in the Conference of Speakers of the Parliaments of the EU Member States is another proof that the European Union should become a space stretching from the Mediterranean to the North Sea and from Lisbon to Tbilisi”.

Also Read:

• 25/04/2023 – PM Garibashvili Visits Brussels, Meets Top NATO and EU Officials
• 17/06/2022 – Conditions First, Candidate Status After – EU Commission Recommends on Georgia

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