Parliament Speaker: “freedom-loving” Georgian nation believes in Europe, “high time for Europe to believe in us too”
Papuashvili told the event the current “turbulent times” were the “right moment” for the EU to fulfil the role “for which it has been created”, namely “sustainable regional peace, security and prosperity”. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the “freedom-loving” Georgian nation “believes in Europe” and added it was “high time” for Europe “to believe in itself and in us too”, in comments at a conference of speakers of parliaments of European Union member and partner states.
Papuashvili told the event the current “turbulent times” were the “right moment” for the EU to fulfil the role “for which it has been created”, namely “sustainable regional peace, security and prosperity”.
The EU must cooperate with other democracies as a renowned and universal beacon of democracy, human rights and rule of law. The Union has a world to share - democratic values that its founding fathers incorporated in its foundations; benefits that its citizens enjoy and that makes the EU a magnetic attraction around the world; and an area of liberty and peace”, he said.
“Other partner democracies, like Georgia, have a world to share too - a dedicated optimist on guard for liberty and peace - the identity of Europe; cultural heritage enriching Europe; and the best Georgian experience of state building and democratisation”, the head of the legislative body continued.
????????????????at #EUSC2023, I emphasized the need for a clear & institutionalized ???????? membership path for ????????, with performance-based approach & less arbitrary political considerations. My nation & I believe in ????????– it's time for ???????? to believe in itself & in us too.
— Shalva Papuashvili ???????? (@shpapuashvili) April 25, 2023
????https://t.co/JK0zdSrnKS
Papuashvili stressed the EU's strength should come from “trustworthy, evidence-based narrative”.
You cannot fight disinformation with disinformation. [...] In the current tsunami of disinformation, the EU's real strength is to advance narratives that are based on facts rather than perceptions. Fact-based discourse strengthens democracy, perception-based narratives skew it. Our institutions of democratic governance, which are modelled on the EU, should champion fact-based decision-making if we want to maintain public trust”, he noted.
The Georgian official also added that the promise of EU membership should be coupled with a “consistent” approach by its institutions, devoid of arbitrary and partisan interests, pointing out that membership promise served as a “powerful tool” for promoting democracy, strengthening the rule of law and the respect for fundamental rights in Georgia.
Currently, we have been quite successfully implementing the EU's 12 recommendations for candidate country status. These recommendations, in essence, guide democratic reforms in key areas. What we need now is a clear, verifiable, and institutionalised process for our membership path which has less arbitrary, less partisan political considerations. I believe in Europe. So does my freedom-loving nation. It is high time for Europe to believe in itself and in us too”, Papuashvili concluded.