Georgian Parliament Speaker: Georgian Dream party proved peace possible in conflict-prone region through sound policy

Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said that the ruling Georgian Dream party has demonstrated that peace and stability can be maintained even in a conflict-prone region through sound policy.

Speaking to journalists about the United Neutral Georgia’s initiative to hold public debates about the country’s foreign policy, Papuashvili noted that the issue is not a choice between neutrality and non-neutrality, but rather how to respond to challenges beyond Georgia’s control.

He noted that Georgia’s constitutional objectives are already defined and that developments in the region cannot be resolved through declarations, constitutional wording, or the introduction of new terms.

“What is happening around us is not settled by declarations or constitutional entries. It requires wise policy that keeps the country away from conflicts and shields it from the difficulties the world is facing today”, Papuashvili said. He added that the current government serves as an example, arguing that Georgia has experienced its first extended period without war or military conflict in recent years.

Papuashvili claimed that over the past several years there had been conditions that could have led to war in Georgia, and that conflict would have been “guaranteed” if, as he put it, certain foreign actors had encountered “radical opposition representatives standing on one leg” in government offices. He said Georgia avoided such a scenario by prioritizing national interests.