Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili asked the European Union (EU) in Brussels on Wednesday to grant her country candidate status as a “protection” against Russia.
“Russia needs to understand that Georgia is Europe and that Europe is determined that Georgia will be Europe. What we have seen in recent months in Georgia is Russia trying to win points to subtly re-establish its influence while undermining Europe’s. “, Zurabishvili said in a speech in the plenary of the European Parliament.
The president of the former Soviet republic reaffirmed her desire for her country to join the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as part of the “future European security architecture”, warning against the possibility of leaving Georgia “in an undefined zone”.
“We ask for protection against Russia. Russia, which to this day continues to occupy and wage a hybrid war against the people of Georgia. Russia, which listens to each and every signal. That’s why nobody can afford to send the wrong message and leave Georgia in a no-brainer zone,” he declared.
“This cannot be allowed to happen, neither for Georgia nor for Europe. Just as Europe is helping Ukraine to resist brute force, it has to help the Georgian people in the face of this more subtle pressure from Russia, with the resumption of flights into the country or its maneuvers to foment internal tensions,” he added.
Zurabishvili argued that in relation to the war in Ukraine, that country “is not only defending its territory, but is shedding blood for all of us, for Europe, its security and its freedom”, and said he believed that Ukrainians and Georgians will be in the EU in a “near future”.
In June 2022, EU Heads of State and Government granted Georgia a “European perspective” in its accession process to the bloc, but not candidate status for membership, contrary to what was achieved by Ukraine and Moldova in era.
Georgia’s government stated in December 2022 that it had fulfilled the 12 requirements for EU candidate status, including reducing political polarization and de-oligarquizing the country, as well as strengthening its democratic institutions.
“Each decision will have its time and place. I will leave no stone unturned when it comes to ensuring that Georgia is where it needs to be. Seeing our country free in a free Europe is the only guarantee of independence,” concluded Zurabishvili.
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