Politicians React to President’s Address to European Parliament

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili addressed the European Parliament on May 31 as part of her visit to Brussels. Her speech focused on Georgia’s EU integration, Georgia’s European identity and EU candidate status, the war with Ukraine and relations with Russia.

• 31/05/2023– President Zurabishvili at the European Parliament: We need to ensure that we do not miss a second chance

The President’s address to the European Parliament has triggered mixed reactions from Georgian politicians. Civil.ge offers a complication of these reactions.

Remarks by the ruling party

Shalva Papuashvili, Parliament Speaker: “The President once again focused on the issue that we have been trying to bring to our European colleagues, especially recently. Unfortunately, the opposition is not helping our country in this matter…Georgia has done its best to get closer to the European Union, to move forward, [not only] to obtain the status, but also to start negotiations on membership… So now the ball is in the European Union’s court, and in fact, today the European Union has to decide on how it sees its own future in this region, how it sees its own future in relation to Georgia.”

Mamuka Mdinaradze, chairman of the Georgian Dream faction: “I predicted what statements [the President] would make . My prediction was…that people’s reaction would ensure it, and that’s what happened. Her softened tone was ensured by an absolutely correct reaction of the people. But I have to add one thing – we should probably explain to the President that when she addresses the Georgian Parliament, when she speaks at the May 26 event, all this will be broadcast outside the country; it is 2023, and in this century, modern technologies allow foreigners to hear her speeches in Georgia.”

Kakha Kaladze, Mayor of Tbilisi, Secretary General of Georgian Dream: “It is important that all people use international platforms… for the country to get the status… if anyone deserved to get this status, it was our country, in all components… we are ahead of all the countries that have been granted the status.”

Remarks by the opposition

Levan Bezhashvili, the United National Movement: “When the Prime Minister and the leaders of the majority make statements against the country’s interests and practically change the country’s foreign policy course, the President should be much more acute… she should quite her role of a political commentator and take active measures within her constitutional powers in order to restore the political balance in favor of Europe.”

Ana Buchukuri, For Georgia: “We heard important messages from the President of Georgia in the European Parliament… I especially liked some of the messages compared to the statements we hear from other government representatives when using similar rostrums.”

Paata Manjgaladze, “Strategy Agmashenebeli”: “She [the president] is used to telling half-truths, some people like those half-truths and applaud, I do not like when the president tells half-truths… Yes, she had some correct accents, I admit, but has anything changed? Nothing.”

Herman Sabo, “Girchi”: “It would be better to see more specifics from the President, what problems she sees, how she imagines their solution… But she decided to adopt a more conciliatory tone from the rostrum and emphasized the importance of the issue the Georgian nation…that Europe is irreplaceable as a strategic choice.”

Khatia Dekanoidze, independent MP: “A clearer message was needed as to what effective steps the President of Georgia would take to fulfill these recommendations and successfully complete this path.”   

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