UNM to Tour European Capitals, “Find Solution” for EU Candidacy

Zurab Tchiaberashvili, the United National Movement’s secretary for international relations, addressed the European People’s Party’s political assembly and spoke of the difficult situation regarding Georgia’s EU candidate status.

Referring to the criteria for the candidacy outlined by the President of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber – that a candidate state has to be pro-European, pro-Ukrainian, and to uphold the rule of law – he said that “the actions of the Georgian government, or rather the government of the Russian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili cause serious concerns, to put it mildly.”

Tchiaberashvili highlighted the “inhumane and degrading” treatment of former president Saakashvili describing it as “political retribution” and “an abuse of the judicial system for political aims.” He urged President Zurabishvili to use her constitutional right to pardon Saakashvili, which he said could pave way to Georgia’s EU candidate status.

Speaking about the candidate status, Tchiaberashvili stated: “I know it’s hard to say yes because the path to membership is a merit-based process. I know that nations communicate through their governments, elected in free and fair elections. This is sovereignty – the most important European value.” He then said: “But simply saying no is not a solution either”. Instead, he stressed the need to find a solution, which would allow Georgia to stay on the EU membership track, while at the same time allowing the Georgian people to elect a pro-European government committed to the rule of law and to supporting Ukraine’s struggle for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and thus to the European security architecture.

To achieve these objectives, he announced the National Movement’s intention “in these difficult circumstances” to visit the capitals of EU member states and engage in consultations with the aim of finding a solution that is in the interests of both the Georgian nation and EU member states.

Also Read:

• 04/09/2023 – Hugues Mingarelli: Georgia Should be Granted EU Candidate Status if Georgian Citizens Vote for Leaders Who Embrace EU Values
• 04/07/2023 – UNM Demands Permission to Visit Saakashvili

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