Georgian PM: Georgia not only consumer, but provider of security

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili took part in today’s panel debate at the Global Security Conference (GLOBSEC) in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava.

Welcoming the conference on security issues, Kvirikashvili said Georgia is not only a consumer of security today but it is also a provider of security with its representation in international peacekeeping missions.

Participating in a panel debate ‘Eastern Neighbourhood 2017: Times of Turmoil Ahead?’ together with the Latvian, Ukrainian, Russian and United States representatives, Kvirikashvili said the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, Belgium this November will have strong political messages for Georgia in different directions.

Says @NSAThompson45 at #GLOBSEC2017#Ukraine#Georgiapic.twitter.com/n6CypDonr1

— GLOBSEC (@GLOBSEC) May 28, 2017

Kvirikashvili said granting visa-free travel for Georgian citizens has been a political step from Europe meaning that Georgia’s efforts have been appreciated and Europe is opening its doors for Georgians. 

He said Georgia is no longer a post-Soviet country. It's a country that can be easily called Eastern European country.

#Georgia is no longer a "post" country. I think we need to get rid of these "post" cliches #GLOBSEC2017https://t.co/gQyGfTzsW3pic.twitter.com/j9o0lvigqW

— Giorgi Kvirikashvili (@KvirikashviliGi) May 28, 2017

Kvirikashvili further said "Georgians reached important milestone: because visa liberalisation is "an achievement which materialises, brings tangible results for European aspirations of Georgia”.

For that we had to implement important reforms, sign Association Agreement together with Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Agreement and launch a comprehensive overhaul of Georgia’s democratic institutions, legislation and through approximation of the local institutional and legislative standards we were able to achieve visa liberalisation”, Prime Minister Kvirikashvili said.

In response to the Russian delegate Vyacheslav Nikonov that Russia has no issues with the European Union, but rather with NATO, PM Kvirikashsvili said "supporting Georgia’s European aspirations and being against its NATO aspirations are absolutely senseless” because he said Georgia is for "value-based integration”.

Russia supports Georgia’s EU integration... What is Georgia for Russia? This is the main questions. What is the map of Georgia? What is the country they are talking about? Mentioning the lower pace of economic growth of the country’s stability of which is undermined by the Russian intervention sounds very sarcastic, I’m sorry to say that”, Kvirikashvili said.

Under the title ‘Adaptation (to) the Future’ GLOBSEC took a start on Friday bringing together more than one thousand participants from around 70 countries including presidents and prime ministers, representatives of the European Union and experts in security issues.