EU Ambassador Hartzell: ‘Georgia’s European path is built on solid ground’

Noting that Georgia has celebrated Independence Day yesterday, Ambassador Hartzell said in his address that 'these days, every day in Georgia is Independence Day'. Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia/Twitter archive

Agenda.ge, 27 May 2021 - 21:22, Tbilisi,Georgia

European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has stated earlier today that ‘Georgia’s European path is built on solid ground’. 

He said Georgia was at the very beginning of Europe’s ancient history and culture, at the forefront of contemporary European political philosophy, and ‘this heritage remains deeply enshrined to this day in the citizens and society of this beautiful country’.

It is not flattery to say that Georgia possesses what it takes for it to really go airborne – even ballistic. I have seen a lot of rubble being cleared from the runway since I came here – even though, to be fair, a few new stones and small pieces of rock have also been thrown back onto it”, Ambassador Hartzell said.

He also noted that fundamentally ‘the entry ticket to deepened European integration and cooperation boils down to shared values’.

And here, I remain firm in my assessment that – whatever attempts are being made to exploit perceived differences between Georgian and European values – not only are they already solidly compatible, but they spring from the same source. And that is an additional strength”, he added.

Ambassador Hartzell also said in his speech that ‘working day-by-day to develop Georgia’s security, its economy, its export potential, its tourism industry, its educational system, its environment and energy supplies, and its democratic institutions are all part of the work that all of us gathered here today are taking part in’. 

This, he said, 'it is all part of making sure that Georgia will remain the strong, prosperous, and sovereign country we all aspires for it to be’.

Carl Hartzell has delivered a speech at the joint conference of the government of Georgia and the Georgian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.