President Macron Reassures Georgians, Tells to Take the Reins of their European Future

On December 13, French President Emmanuel Macron released a video address to the Georgian people. On the eve of Georgia’s anniversary of gaining the EU candidacy, Macron reiterated his support for Georgians’ EU aspirations, reiterated that the Union stands for peace and dialogue, and expressed his hope that Georgia will continue on the path of EU integration.

President Macron noted that the betrayal of the Georgian people’s European aspirations, enshrined in the Georgian Constitution, is unacceptable and that Georgia’s European dream shouldn’t die. He noted that Georgia’s sovereign choice of the European path is now being peacefully expressed through protests in Tbilisi and other cities of the country.

The French President underlined that by granting the candidate status, the EU has positively responded to the aspirations of the Georgian people and that the European choice that Georgia has made entails certain responsibilities and obligations that need to be implemented over time. He emphasized that the path has been laid out and that Georgia can confidently work hand-in-hand with the 27 EU member states to build its European future. “Or it can wait and postpone this process, but wait for what and why?” asked Macron.

He emphasized that the EU obliges no one and does not intimidate but proposes an equal partnership to achieve prosperity based on shared values. Macron stressed that the EU doesn’t threaten or intimidate, nor does it create chaos, destabilize its neighbors or subjugate them through wars or hybrid tactics, it doesn’t promote discord in society or aim to sow confusion. The EU respects the sovereign rights of people and the history and identity of nations, just like the thousand-year-old history of Georgia.

The French President also noted that the EU doesn’t dictate national interests, it respects the territorial integrity of countries, particularly that of Georgia. He pointed out that it was not the EU that supported the separatists in the country. He stressed that the EU represents a peace project, which has been its foundation from the very beginning and is proven by the fact that the EU has never started a war against a sovereign state. “The Europe is solidarity, the choice of peace, the collective defense of strategic interests common to a single family,” Macron noted.

President Macron stressed that it is up to Georgia to decide its future and that the voice of Georgians must be heard and respected. He reiterated that the EU stands with Georgia, with its EU and democratic aspirations. He emphasized that Georgia cannot hope to make progress on its European path if peaceful demonstrations are suppressed with disproportionate use of force, if civil society organizations, journalists and members of opposition parties are harassed, if freedom of expression and assembly are not respected.

Finally, he expressed his hope that there is a way forward “in line with the country’s European aspirations, that of open, respectful dialogue with all political forces and civil society organizations.” He stressed that this dialogue is the responsibility of every citizen and should give Georgians the opportunity to once again take the reins of their future into their hands. He emphasized that he has confidence in Georgians who remain faithful to the European future and that they won’t be frightened by intimidation, information manipulation, cyber attacks, and propaganda.

The video address comes days after the phone call President Macron had with the ruling Georgian Dream’s founder and Honorary Chair, Bidzina Ivanishvili. In this conversation, Macron expressed readiness to help resolve the political crisis in Georgia well. Before the talk with Ivanishvili, President Macron had met with his Georgian counterpart, Salome Zurabishvili in France.

President Salome Zurabishvili thanked her French counterpart, stressing that “Europe is the free choice of the Georgian people, which has given no mandate to the Georgian Dream leaders to turn away!”

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• 09/12/2024 – President Zurabishvili Visits France

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