President Zurabishvili Speaks to French Media
On November 9-10, the President of Georgia, Salome Zourabishvili, gave interviews to the French media outlets France24, Radio France Info, LCI and RFI. President Zurabishvili welcomed the European Commission’s recommendation to grant Georgia candidate status. She highlighted the importance of the 2024 parliamentary elections and spoke about Russia, its occupation of the Georgian regions, and its impact on Georgia’s European future.
President Zurabishvili is taking part in the Paris Peace Forum alongside PM Irakli Garibashvili on November 10-11.
Interview with France 24
On November 9, in an interview with France 24, President Salome Zurabishvili discussed Georgia’s prospects following the European Commission’s positive recommendation on Georgia’s EU candidacy. She emphasized the pivotal role of European support for the country’s development and said 2024 would be a crucial next step on the European path.
President Zurabishvili stressed that joining the EU is crucial so that Georgia “is not left alone and isolated,” face-to-face with Russia “in an increasingly turbulent world, where Russia has demonstrated and continues to daily demonstrate its imperialism vis-à-vis Ukraine.”
Asked why the Commission endorsed Georgia even though it only fulfilled three of the twelve conditions for the candidacy, President Zurabishvili said that this was not the case of favoritism but of the awareness in Brussels of both the progress made by Georgia over the years, as well as the geopolitical considerations. Without candidacy, Georgia would remain “behind the red line,” in the “gray zone,” she argued, “which would be very dangerous for the stability of the region, for the stability of the Black Sea, and an encouragement, a gift to Russia.” Zurabishvili also stressed the Georgian people “feel that they deserve to join Europe because of their past, their values and their thirty-year journey.”
Asked if Georgia was disappointed to be behind Ukraine and Moldova, the President stressed that Ukraine and its fight for freedom against Russia “accelerated the European calendar.” Without Ukraine, “we would not be where we are now,” she said.
Asked whether the government (described by the journalist as “openly pro-Russian”) would prevent the President and the country from pursuing further reforms, President Zurabishvili responded “it depends on the people,” adding that “we live in a democratic system where the voice of the people and their role is very important.”
Zurabishvili, whom the ruling party tried to impeach in October, said that “governments change, [but] people remain.” Referring to the scheduled general elections in Georgia, she argued “We could see the most stable and calm evolution, which will lead us to a coalition government,” and expressed hope that “we will have democratic elections that will allow us to form a new coalition, in which case we will fulfill all the conditions for opening accession negotiations.”
President Zurabishvili expressed her hope that Europe would continue to stand by Georgia including by “strings attached” to the final decision of the Council of the EU on candidacy, expected in December.
Asked about the “pro-Russian position of the Georgian government” in relation to Ukraine, President Zurabishvili said that “because of the strategic situation, [as] we have two occupied territories, there are things we cannot allow ourselves,” and argued in some areas “my position is no different from that of the government,” referring specifically to military aid to Kyiv. “But the [Georgian] population and I are much more open in expressing our solidarity with Ukraine” than the government is, she added.
As the President is attending the Paris Peace Forum, she was asked to comment on the situation in the Middle East. Zurabishvili expressed her support for Israel and condemned terrorism, adding that the humanitarian situation is “tragic.”
Interview with Radio France Info
On November 10, President Zurabishvili gave another interview to Radio France Info. She reiterated her positive assessment of the European Commission’s recommendation, highlighting the importance of continued European support for Georgia, and spoke about Russia.
Zurabishvili said that the new conditions for candidacy, like the previous recommendations, are not as strict as perceived, because the EC “undoubtedly due to strategic circumstances, is taking the geopolitical and strategic dimensions into consideration.”
According to her, less than full support from the European Commission would have been welcome in Moscow, and recalled NATO’s 2008 Bucharest Summit indecision about Ukraine and Georgia, which, in her mind “gave the green light to Russia” to invade. President said the European Commission made a better decision: “Russia has not been given the green light, and this is very, very important!”
Zurabishvili was asked about the political influences in Georgia. “I don’t know whether it is a fight for influence or not,” – she said, adding that Russia has already lost a lot with Ukraine. The President said that “Russia is trying to demonstrate its aggression against Georgia, showing that it intends to establish military bases, ports, and airports on the occupied territories, and it is a perfect moment for the EU to say “stop.” As the President attended the Paris Peace Forum, she stressed the importance of peace for the country and reiterated that Georgia “must be on the far side of the red line.”
Asked whether the current events in Georgia could be compared to Ukraine’s Maidan in 2014, Zurabishvili responded: “We had our Maidan already a long time ago, and it is not today that Georgia is making a pro-Western and pro-European choice.”
She reiterated that next year’s elections will be crucial for the country’s European future and “it is important that the candidate status is not given as a ‘bone to gnaw’ but with European support and participation, including in the elections, so that we will be able to overcome this stage, which is a democratic stage of transition from a one-party regime to a multi-party coalition.”
Commenting on the expectations for the Paris Peace Forum, the President said that the world cannot find a magic solution to the differences that characterize the world, but it is evident that authoritarian regimes provoke war. She concluded: “More democracy means less war, more authoritarianism means more aggression.”
Interview with LCI
On November 10, in an interview with LCI, President Zurabishvili spoke primarily about Russia and its war in Ukraine. Zurabishvili openly expressed her support for Ukraine and hoped for a “normalization” of Russia so that it would respect the borders of sovereign countries.
When asked how she sees the end of the war in Ukraine, Zurabishvili replied that Russia should be forced, through negotiations to become a state that does not occupy the territories of others, and the negotiations after the ongoing war should also include the issue of Georgian occupied territories.
Zurabishvili was asked if she hopes, “in her heart” to see Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, ever be put on trial for the crimes against humanity they have committed. “I believe with my inner faith that it would be a historical outcome that would put some things back in their place,” Zurabishvili said, but added that she doesn’t not see that perspective as realistic. “We live in a realistic world where that does not happen. We are not in Alice’s Wonderland,” Zurabishvili said.
Interview with RFI
On November 12, President Zurabishvili gave one more interview to RFI. First and foremost, she reiterated her positive expectations for Georgia’s European future, saying that the European Council’s decision is going to be a political and strategic decision, and that granting the country candidate status is of great geopolitical and strategic importance, as to not leave Georgia alone in a ‘gray zone’ with Russia.
Zurabishvili spoke about the upcoming elections and compared the process in Georgia to the “Polish model”. Zurabishvili expressed hope for the democratic elections, saying that this is a chance for the country’s democracy to move from a one-party monopoly to a coalition.
She also mentioned the elections when asked about de-oligarchization, and in particular about the founder of the “Georgian Dream” party and former Prime Minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili. When asked if she believed that Georgia could de-oligarchize, Zurabishvili simply replied, “Yes, yes, we are moving to that stage…we are in the pre-election phase.” In this regard, the President stressed that the EU’s monitoring and involvement in the electoral process will be crucial.
All quotes are translated from the original in French or/and from the Georgian transcript of the interviews.
Also Read:
- 09/11/2023 – “Our Voice to Europe” – President Holds Event Following EC Decision, Signature Campaign Launched
- 08/11/2023 – European Commission Recommends EU Candidacy for Georgia
- 03/06/2023 – Salome Zurabishvili’s Interviews to French TV Channels
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
