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President Zurabishvili and President of the European Council Michel Address Georgians on Europe Day

On Europe day on 9 May, at an event organized by the President’s Administration, President Salome Zurabishvili addressed the public gathered in front of the Orbeliani Palace, and the Georgian nation. Her speech was preceded by a short pre-recorded address from the President of the European Council Charles Michel, who congratulated Georgians on Europe’s day. He said that Georgians made “a clear choice for European values, for freedom and that is why your future is within our common European family… We are with you”.

The Georgian President thanked the President of the European Council for his address saying that he is “one of the partners of Georgia who truly believes in our European future” and is ready to assist Georgia in this endeavor. However, she stressed: “the rest is on us, we have to walk this path, we cannot allow this opportunity slip from our hands”. She then said: “Many of you have family members in Europe, many have either travelled or studied in Europe or hope to work or study there”. She then said, that her hope is different, that it is “to bring Europe here, to have all the benefits of Europe, here”. She stressed that Georgia shares lost of common features with the rest of Europe.

In her speech, she paid special attention to the role of the Black Sea, which she said used to separate Georgia from Europe during the Soviet era, but now serves as a bridge that can do a lot of good not only for Georgia but also for the EU. She stressed that the EU understands the importance of Georgia’s strategic location and role. She also emphasized that “Europe is peace”, that it is the first and only union of countries that have preserved both – their identity and peace. She stressed that despite the incomprehensible war narratives spread by some, “Europe has never attacked anyone” and that Georgia’s peaceful future, identity and development lie with Europe.  She concluded by saying that there can be no final peace until all occupied territories are liberated and said: “We are ready to serve as a road to Europe for our Ossetian and Abkhazian compatriots”.

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This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)

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