Georgian Parliament Speaker: candidate countries must be co-creators, not mere objects of EU enlargement

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said that candidate countries should not be passive objects of the EU enlargement process but active participants and co-creators of the Union’s future, emphasising the importance of their unified voice in shaping its substance, form, and procedures.

In his remarks, Papuashvili described the two-day meeting in Serbia as productive and thanked the Speakers of the Serbian and Ukrainian Parliaments for initiating the gathering.

“I would like to once again thank the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament and the Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, who were the initiators of this meeting. In general, this is a new and unique format where the speakers of parliaments of EU candidate countries will have the opportunity to maintain contact with each other regarding the achievements and challenges emerging on the path toward EU membership”, he said.

The Speaker noted that through the Belgrade Declaration, the participants established a new format that would continue on a permanent basis, with annual meetings at the level of parliamentary speakers.

“Today, through the Belgrade Declaration, we established this format. We also decided that it will become a permanent format, with meetings held annually at the level of parliamentary speakers. At the same time, between these meetings, we will maintain constant contact and communication both at the level of parliamentary speakers and through various parliamentary formats”, he noted.

Papuashvili also emphasised that candidate countries should coordinate their positions and communicate with Brussels with a unified voice amid ongoing discussions within the EU about possible models of future enlargement.

“We all agree that there is a need to speak with one voice with Brussels at a time when various options and scenarios are being discussed within the European Union regarding how new members should or should not be admitted - whether this means full membership, partial membership, non-membership, incomplete membership, or second-class membership. We see that all kinds of options are being discussed”, Papuashvili said.

“It is important that candidate countries also have their own voice. We should not be merely objects of enlargement. We should be participants in this enlargement process, co-creators of the future of the European Union in terms of its substance, form, and procedures. Therefore, today there was unity among all the speakers and representatives of the parliaments of the candidate countries. We are pleased that we share common views in this regard”, he continued.

He added that the representatives of candidate countries’ parliaments demonstrated unity and shared views on the need for greater involvement in the enlargement process.

“This is the recognition of the fundamental principles of international law, as well as commitment to the procedures established at the beginning of the EU enlargement and accession process on the path of our countries’ European integration. It also concerns the formats through which the platform of parliamentary speakers of EU candidate countries should subsequently be developed”, Papuashvili stressed.

He further noted that the creation of this platform represents an important first step toward greater coordination among candidate countries.

“Therefore, an important first step has been taken, and an important first document and platform have been created. At a time when we see the self-discreditation of similar international forums, it is important that like-minded countries and the parliaments of states united around a common goal become participants in a unified process”, he noted.

“This is a format created by the candidate countries themselves, within which we would like to invite representatives of Brussels to various meetings in order to present our views and positions”, Papuashvili concluded.