Salome Samadashvili: Two Russian representatives—one being Papuashvili and the other Kalugin in Moscow—responded to the statement from Brussels; both conveyed the same message: that European integration does not align with Georgia's interests
Two Russian representatives—Shalva Papuashvili in Georgia and Russian Foreign Ministry official Kalugin in Moscow—responded to the statement from Brussels. Both delivered the exact same message: that EU membership does not align with the sovereign interests of the Georgian people. This statement was made at a briefing by Salome Samadashvili, a leader of the Lelo – Strong Georgia coalition. She responded to European Commissioner Marta Kos’s remark that Georgia holds candidate status "only on paper," as well as to the response given by the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, regarding that comment.
According to her, the assessments made in Brussels "amount to a verdict for the Ivanishvili regime."
“We wish to address the assessments made in Brussels regarding Georgia’s EU accession process. Today, Georgia is a candidate for EU membership only on paper. This is the verdict Brussels has handed down to the Ivanishvili regime; the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, told us that, in reality, Georgia’s EU accession process has been halted due to the policies of the Ivanishvili government. This is a devastating message for every citizen of Georgia. It means we are left alone, completely unprotected in the face of Russia. Naturally, Russian representatives are delighted with the current situation. Two representatives of Russia—Mr. Shalva Papuashvili in Georgia and the Russian foreign policy representative Mr. Kalugin in Moscow—responded to Brussels' statement with a joint and fully synchronized message. Both of them declared, using the exact same message, that EU accession does not align with the sovereign interests of the Georgian people and is detrimental to Georgia. This merely confirms what we have been saying for a long time: ...that it was precisely at Russia’s behest that Ivanishvili cancelled Georgia’s European future.
To respond to Russia’s representative, Papuashvili: today, the Georgian state exists merely as a concept on paper, because the state’s primary attribute is the conduct of an independent foreign policy—a policy that must reflect the will of the Georgian people. Defying the will of the Georgian people, the Ivanishvili regime has cancelled our European future—a move Russia welcomes today. It has been repeatedly confirmed that Europe is the steadfast choice of the Georgian people. Ivanishvili attempted to suppress public protest through violence against the people—crackdowns, bone-breaking, and the suspected use of an unknown chemical weapon—yet the protest continues.
I also wish to tell every citizen of Georgia: do not think that the process currently unfolding against Georgia’s opposition does not concern you. Clearly, the attempt to destroy the political opposition will make it impossible to achieve any progress in relations between Georgia and the European Union. This, too, is a Russian directive—to ensure our European future is finally revoked.
