Georgian Parliament official says current EU-Georgia challenges make dialogue more important

Giorgi Chakvetadze, the First Deputy Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s Education, Science and Youth Affairs Committee, on Monday highlighted the importance of dialogue between Georgia and the European Union, as well as the role of EU member states’ parliaments in that process, during his address at the inter-parliamentary conference EU Enlargement: A Strategic Agenda for Europe’s Future, organised by the Albanian Parliament in Tirana.

In his remarks, Chakvetadze said the current challenges in EU-Georgia relations should not diminish opportunities for dialogue. On the contrary, he argued, the existing political circumstances made parliamentary engagement even more important and created space for resolving differences of opinion.

“Dear colleagues, parliaments are no longer merely law-making institutions. They serve as bridges to the public, spaces where European integration meets democratic accountability, national priorities and the needs of our societies. One of the primary responsibilities of parliaments is to create a space for dialogue, consensus-building and mutual understanding”, Chakvetadze said.

“This becomes even more important when political views diverge. Current difficulties in relations between the European Union and Georgia should not eliminate the space for dialogue between our parliaments; on the contrary, these political circumstances make parliamentary dialogue all the more essential. Differences of opinion can be resolved, and differing interpretations are open to discussion”, he added.

Chakvetadze noted that the current state of EU-Georgia relations was not in the interest of either side, making the restoration of trust and the resumption of dialogue particularly important.

“Georgia continues to fulfil the obligations undertaken under the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). More than 80 percent of the obligations under the Association Agreement have already been met, and our country continues to contribute to the enlargement reporting process. We have stated that we will fulfil 90 percent of these obligations by 2028”, he said.

The lawmaker stressed that European integration remained a strategic and constitutional objective for the Georgian Government.

“Accordingly, our commitment extends beyond institutional alignment. It also entails contributing to a shared objective - strengthening regional security, stability and resilience, while fostering connectivity across the wider Black Sea region”, he added.

Chakvetadze further underscored that parliaments could help ensure enlargement was viewed not merely as a technical checklist of reforms, but as a shared political project understood and supported by citizens.

“They can also ensure that national perspectives are heard within the broader European debate, while keeping the strategic goal of a stronger and more united Europe at the centre of discussions”, he noted.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the question is no longer simply whether the European Union should expand, but rather how enlargement can strengthen Europe. Parliaments have a crucial role to play in answering this question”, Chakvetadze concluded.