Politicians Asses the NATO Vilnius Summit Results for Georgia

The NATO Summit was held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 11-12. NATO Heads of State and Governments participating in the NATO Summit in Vilnius issued a Communiqué, focusing on the main issues and challenges facing the Alliance.

• 11/07/2023 – Georgia in NATO Vilnius Summit Communiqué

On Georgia, the Communiqué reiterates the commitment made at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that Georgia will become a member of NATO through the Membership Action Plan (MAP). Georgian delegation to the Summit was led by the Georgian Foreign Minister.

Civil.ge offers politicians’ assessments of NATO’s Vilnius summit and Cummit Communiqué.

Remarks of the ruling party representatives

Irakli Kobakhidze, Chairman of the “Georgian Dream”: “The status quo remains enforced. In the situation when the situation in the region is so difficult, no one expected any news regarding Georgia, although there was such expectation with Ukraine, but there was no news in regard to Ukraine as well, which is the result of only one thing – NATO takes a pragmatic position in relation to Russia… In fact, Georgia is ready to become a member of the Alliance in every respect. We are ready for it from all points of view, although the other side is not ready for it… There was no readiness for it in 2006, nor in 2008, nor in 2012… ” “If Ukraine and Georgia had become members of NATO then, today, specifically in Ukraine, there would not be this war that is going on now”.

Irakli Beraia, “Georgian Dream”, Chairman of the Defense and Security Committee of the Parliament: “The support of Georgia from the members of the Alliance continues both from a political and practical points of view, and the final Communiqué of the Summit confirms this… To be honest, we did not have special expectations for the Summit… There is war in the middle of Europe, the expansion of the Alliance to the east was not even expected… The Communiqué clearly states that Ukraine will be invited to NATO when the Allies agree on it… As for the approach of the Alliance, I would like the Allies of the Alliance to show more geopolitical courage… Today, Georgia fully meets all the criteria for membership in NATO. Georgia is ready to join NATO, and of course the ball is in the Alliance’s court”.

Remarks from the opposition

Tinatin Bokuchava, “United National Movement”: “The status quo, because of the change in the historical context, actually means regression…. Due to the regional context, Georgia could have become a member of NATO in an accelerated manner”.

Salome Samadashvili, “Lelo – for Georgia”: “Unlike Georgia, Ukraine today does not have a government allied with Russia, and Russia does not rule Ukraine. Unfortunately, Georgia has remained without the same language, and moreover, it can be said that we have actually gone backwards, because not if there is no progress since the language of 2008, but we were actually told that there are no reforms in the country”.

Teona Akubardia, parliamentary “Reforms Group”: “At the [time of] historic Summit in Vilnius, Georgia’s democratic reforms have deteriorated and there is no more praise of [their] implementation… at the same time, Georgia has been separated from Ukraine: while the MAP requirement is no longer a part of the language on Ukraine, it is still there for Georgia. This is the “accomplishment” of the “Georgian Dream”, [for whom] NATO is no longer even in the political discourse… democratic reforms are no longer implemented, which distances Georgia from both NATO and the European Union”.

Giorgi Kandelaki, “European Georgia”: “[The first issue is that] the government of Georgia for years and even now has not done anything to move a millimeter forward on the issue of membership, but the second is the informal political reality, the significance of the Prime Minister’s not attending the Summit… This was preceded by the Prime Minister repeating Russian propaganda when he blamed NATO for the ongoing war in Ukraine. It is impossible for him to curse the Alliance, blame it for the start of the war, repeat Russian propaganda and at the same time hope that the leaders of the Alliance will shake his hand”.

Khatia Dekanoidze, political group “Euro optimists”: “The members of the Alliance remain committed to the Bucharest agreement, this is very important for the territorial integrity of Georgia, but the second very important context is that, unfortunately, Georgia, which is also occupied, which has also been a NATO aspirant country for a very long time has not been given an accelerated accession plan like Ukraine… next year, when there will be a summit in Washington… it is very important that Georgia has an accelerated integration plan in NATO”.

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