Defence Minister candidate highlights EU integration role in “peaceful development”, reunification of country

Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the candidate for the position of the Defence Minister, on Monday said European integration was “creating the best conditions for the peaceful development and reunification” of the country. 

In his comments at a joint session of committees in the Georgian legislative body, Chikovani said Georgia, as an aspirant country, would continue to “effectively use the main tools” of integration into NATO. 

We are well-aware what difficult geopolitical challenges and deteriorating security environment our country is facing while having to maintain peace and sustainable development. Russia's aggressive war in Ukraine has drastically changed the security context of our region and the entire world, especially in the Black Sea region”, he said. 

“Despite the Russian occupation [of Georgian regions] and hybrid threats, Georgia continues [to move] successfully on the path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. A clear confirmation of this is the status of the EU candidate state granted last year. European integration creates the best conditions for the peaceful development and reunification of our country”, Chikovani continued. 

The official added the “success” in the Euro-Atlantic process remained “one of the most important foreign political tasks” of the country.