Diplomats’ Joint Statement: Stopping EU Accession Negotiations Contradicts Country’s Strategic Interests
Dozens of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs employees have issued a joint statement in connection with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement to stop EU accession. They express their commitment to Georgia’s EU aspirations, stressing that the enlargement window that is now open may never be reopened, and if Georgia stops on this path, it risks facing isolation.
- 28/11/2024 – GD Aborts EU Accession
The diplomats emphasize that their main responsibility is to protect Georgia’s national interests and remain committed to the Constitution. They note that for years Georgian diplomats have been making every effort to achieve European and Euro-Atlantic integration in accordance with the will and historical choice of the Georgian people, and state that the decision announced by the governments to suspend the accession process until 2028 “does not correspond to the strategic interests of the country”.
The undersigned professionals emphasize that the window of opportunity for EU integration gives Georgia an “unprecedented” chance to return to the European family and is driven by international geopolitical processes. They note that such an opportunity for EU integration may never arise again, and rejecting this chance will leave Georgia in isolation. “Without the support of Western partners, Georgia will continue to face threats, which will be particularly intensified against the backdrop of ongoing processes in the international and security environment,” the diplomats note.
“We believe that removing the opening of EU accession negotiations from the political agenda until 2028 contradicts the requirements of Article 78 of the Constitution of Georgia,” stress the diplomats, adding: “We remain committed to Georgia’s course of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.”
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