Georgia’s EU membership “our historic choice” - Parliament Speaker
Papuashvili and his Belgian counterparts discussed deepening inter-parliamentary cooperation and Georgia's European Union integration process. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Georgia not only wants to join the European Union formally, but the membership is a "historic choice" of the country, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said on Thursday in a meeting with Belgium's Speaker of the House of Representatives Eliane Tillieux and the Speaker of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D’Hose.
Papuashvili and his Belgian counterparts discussed deepening inter-parliamentary cooperation and Georgia's European Union integration process. One of the main topics of conversation was the Russian aggression in Ukraine and the importance of solidarity and support for the country, the Press Office of the Georgian Parliament said.
Georgia not only formally wants to join the European Union, but it is our historic choice. According to the latest polls, 83 percent of the Georgian population wants to join the European Union. I believe in your support and once again I want to invite you to Georgia,” Papuashvili told the Belgian officials.
No referendum in the Russian-occupied territories has legitimacy, the Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili said on Thursday in response to the information on the de facto authorities in the Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region planning to hold a referendum on joining the Russian Federation.
Russia's aggression has “failed to stop” Georgia from moving towards Europe, and the newly created “window of opportunity” is the European Union's “rightful response” to this aggression, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili said on Thursday in a meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod.
The 1991 referendum on Georgia’s independence “proved once again, loudly and firmly”, that freedom is the “primary value” for Georgians, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Parliament, said on Thursday in comments marking the 31st anniversary of the plebiscite.
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova “belong” to the European family, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said on Wednesday following her meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili in Brussels.
The European Union should encourage Georgia's European perspective, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, said in an article published on Thursday by Euractiv.
The prospects of Georgia’s European Union membership bid were discussed on Friday in the 61st meeting of the Government Commission for Georgia's Integration into the EU.