Parliament Vice Speaker: Georgia, Ukraine targets of Russian aggression due to desire to “decide own future”

Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday said Georgia and Ukraine had become targets of Russian aggression over the years because of their desire to “make our own decisions about our future”.

In his remarks, Talakvadze highlighted the desire for the country to “be sovereign and free”. 

We [the ruling Georgian Dream party] are the Government that, with the support of citizens and the public, put this historical choice [of the country's pro-Western foreign policy] into writing in the constitution. Now, of course, it is the turn of the European Union, our international partners”, Talakvadze said.

“Every delay in granting the [EU membership] candidate status to Georgia increases the risks. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili is the leader of the political team that has implemented real European reforms in Georgia during these 10-11 years”, the Parliament official concluded.