Georgia remains EU’s only effective gateway to East, says Georgian Prime Minister

Europe faces serious challenges in maintaining connectivity with the East, and Georgia remains the European Union’s only effective gateway for preserving close ties with the region, including in trade and economic relations, said on Monday Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

In his remarks, Kobakhidze noted that the EU’s share of the global economy has declined from 30% in 2008 to approximately 17.5% today, which he described as a consequence of the loss of sovereign decision-making.

“The European bureaucracy has descended into absurdity. Everyone understands Georgia’s role in regional connectivity. Georgia provides seven landlocked countries with access to the Black Sea and, consequently, to the Western economic space. Naturally, this makes Georgia a key country in this regard. Yet they made absurd decisions. For example, a ministerial meeting was held with seven countries invited at the ministerial level, while Georgia was not invited - despite being the country that connects all seven of them to the Black Sea. When you reach such a level of absurdity, it means you are no longer making decisions independently”, he said.

The Prime Minister argued that European bureaucracy is guided by external influences rather than the EU’s own sovereign interests.

“This is reflected in the figures we are discussing. The European Union’s share of the global economy stood at 30% in 2008, but today it has fallen to around 17.5%. This is the result of a loss of sovereignty, and such absurd decisions will only further reduce the EU’s share of the global economy. Europe is facing very serious connectivity challenges toward the East after losing access to inexpensive Russian resources and amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East”, the PM noted.

“Georgia remains the only effective route through which the European Union can maintain close ties with the East, including from a trade and economic perspective. If, under these circumstances, you are unable to recognise your own objective interests, it once again demonstrates that you are acting not in accordance with your own sovereign interests, but in line with the interests of external forces”, the Prime Minister concluded.