Acting PM says EU must “show respect for Georgia’s dignity”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for Prime Minister of Georgia, on Thursday said the European Union had to “prove that they  respect the country’s dignity and protect our national interests, our traditional values”.

Addressing the Parliament ahead of his Government’s confidence vote following last month’s general elections, Kobakhidze noted the Government’s goal was to “maintain peace for the country”.

The European Union also has to prove that they respect our dignity. The European Union must prove to us that our peaceful progress towards the European Union is also of fundamental importance to them. When it comes to progressing towards the European Union with dignity, it is important for the European Union to protect our national interests, our traditional values”, the acting PM said.  

He further stressed that “dignity” was the “first and most important guarantee of protecting the country’s national interests”.

Our goal is to defend the interests of our country with dignity, including gaining membership in the European Union with dignity, and our goal is to improve the prosperity of our country. Dignity is the first and main guarantee that we will defend our national interests, and our task is, as it is stated in our [election] slogan and Government programme, to move towards the European Union with dignity”, Kobakhidze continued.

He added that the path would be “difficult”, while highlighting the Government’s “stated goal” to join the EU by 2030.  

“The European Union has its conditions and we must take this into account. Naturally, we are ready to take into account all conditions that do not contradict the national interests of our country”, he noted.

Of course, we also have to prove to the European Union that we are acting honestly, and similarly, the European Union has to prove to us that it properly respects peace, dignity and prosperity for our country”, Kobakhidze said.

The Government head also commented on a resolution adopted by the European Parliament earlier this year to demand the Georgian Government  impose sanctions on Russia, by saying that “this would mean the collapse of our country's economy”.