Parliament Speaker: EU “should encourage” Georgia's European perspective

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.

In the article, Papuashvili focuses on the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine and Georgia’s western path on, focusing on the 2014 Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia, and the country’s formal EU membership bid.

The war in Ukraine highlights not only Georgia’s security predicament but also the long way the country has come since the 2008 invasion by Russia. While becoming a member state may take time, the EU must send the right signals to an overwhelmingly pro-EU country that has paid a heavy price for its Western aspirations,” Papuashvili writes.

The Georgian official also argues despite the dynamic and evolving cooperation, the EU failed to send clear signals about eventual membership for Georgia, pointing out Georgian public’s support for membership has grown in recent years.

The EU should, therefore, extend the enlargement process not only to Georgia, but also to Ukraine and Moldova. Together, this trio could coordinate reform progress, discuss strategies, and share best practices in ensuring expeditious compliance with the EU acquis,” the Parliament Speaker notes.

Papuashvili also draws parallels to the end of the Cold War and the 2004 enlargement, emphasising the EU must realize that “it is facing another decisive moment” and embrace its responsibility to integrate Georgia into the Union.