Imedi /  14 January 2025, 22:01 / Reliable source

Parliament official says country’s European integration process continues

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

Gia Volski

Gia Volski, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the First Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said the country’s European integration process had not stopped, stressing that Georgia was in a leading position in this regard and would be a “real candidate” for EU membership in 2030 based on economic and political data.

Volski’s comments followed after Marta Kos, the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, noted that the situation in Georgia was a “clear reminder” that the path toward EU membership was not easy, and backsliding was possible.

“Georgia does not deserve such assessments. People take to the streets to express their political stance, which is not new to Europe. Nor is the use of force by the police. Even the harsh retaliation against protesters is not unfamiliar in EU member states. In cases with significant numbers, retaliation is often far harsher than what happened in Georgia, where the police were under severe attack for days”, Volski said.

He defended the police’s response during recent protests, highlighting that over 200 officers were injured, including some facing life-threatening attacks.

“No country can expect its police to face brutal attacks without using force in return. Instances of excessive force are inevitable in such tense and abnormal situations. It's shocking when anyone - especially an innocent person - experiences physical pressure, but ignoring the fact that the police faced over 200 physical injuries, including life-threatening attacks with fireworks and Molotov cocktails, is unfair”, Volski noted.

Volski suggested that some EU officials, including Michael Roth, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, were pushing for instability in Georgia to install a submissive Government, citing reports linking such efforts to global organisations like the McCain Institute.

“The claim that Georgia halted European integration is a blatant lie. The integration process continues, and statements misinterpreting the Prime Minister's remarks serve a specific, targeted purpose. Figures like Michael Roth or the Baltic foreign ministers openly call on youth to use force and shed blood, as reflected in reports from the McCain Institute”, he said.

Volski stressed that Georgia’s integration process was ongoing, and reiterated that claims of halting progress, particularly regarding legislation on LGBTQ issues, were unfounded.

“Not only is nothing stalled, but we are leading in this period, and by 2030, Georgia will be a real candidate for EU membership based on its economic and political progress. We seek EU membership not for show but because the EU’s standards of living, economy, and politics align with our vision for Georgia”, Volski noted.

Volski highlighted that Georgia was facing continued pressure to engage in regional conflicts, particularly in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and emphasised the Government’s focus on maintaining peace.

“When injustice prevails, it raises many concerns connected to ongoing global developments. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there have been attempts to pressure Georgia into war. Even now, the topic of war is not off the table. War and peace remain critical issues of global concern”, he concluded.

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