Ruling party official: Georgia will “undoubtedly” become member of European family

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said he believed Georgia would “undoubtedly” become a member of “the family that is Europe and the European Union”.

In his address at the event, dedicated to mark Europe Day, Kaladze cited the late former Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania's famous speech at the Council’s meeting - I am Georgian, therefore I am European - and stressed the meaning behind these words were important for every Georgian who valued the their homeland.

With its self-awareness, with its values, Georgia has always been and remains a part of European civilization, and [despite obstacles] we continue to move towards Europe with dignity”, he noted.

Kaladze emphasised the Georgian Government would do everything to achieve full integration into the EU “as soon as possible” and affirmed the state’s readiness for “cooperation, friendship and partnership”.

He highlighted the ruling team’s decision to introduce a norm into the country’s Constitution in 2017, that defines integration into the European Union and NATO as a “constitutional objective” of the Government and stressed the Georgian Dream had taken “concrete steps” on the European path since 2012.