President Zurabishvili: coalition gov’t necessary for Georgia, but hard to say how it may work
Salome Zurabishvili became the first female president of Georgia back in 2018 with the support of the ruling Georgian Dream party. Photo: president’s press office.
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that the composition of the Georgian government by the majority only over the past nine years has shown that a coalition government ‘is necessary for Georgia,’ Zurabishvili has told Le Journal du Dimanche during her recent trip to France.
However, Zurabishvili says that it is hard to forecast how the coalition government may work, because political parties in Georgia ‘are hostile to one another and the political situation is very much polarised.’
In the interview Zurabishvili says that the October 2 municipal elections will show whether the political crisis which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections is finally resolved or not.
« La seule perspective de développement de la Géorgie, c’est l’Europe. »
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) September 27, 2021
Mon entrevue sur le Journal du dimanche pic.twitter.com/COEkSpsNaS
Speaking about Georgia’s foreign course, Zurabishvili says that Georgia ‘is no longer the backyard of Russia’ and that the country is striving for membership in the EU and NATO.
The only prospect for Georgia’s development is Europe. The form and the date of Georgia’s EU integration is dependent on the steps Georgia will take and the country’s evolution,” Zurabishvili says.
Zurabishvili stated that Georgia’s NATO integration ‘seems a simpler’ goal rather than EU membership, because Georgia has participated in NATO peace missions, is involved in joint exercises and the compliance of the Georgian army with NATO standards is high.
She says that communication with Russia that Georgia’s NATO membership poses no threat to it, is still required.
Zurabishvili has described current Russia-Georgia diplomatic relations as ‘frozen.’