EU Integration Committee Chair advises Poland and others to focus on peace, stop fueling polarization

“It would be desirable if Poland and other countries, instead of staging shows, would seriously consider their role in achieving peace, preventing war, and stop contributing to polarization, including in Georgia,” stated Levan Makhashvili, the Parliament’s European Integration Committee Chair.

According to Makhashvili, he would prefer that Poland, which carries weight in the European Union, take its responsibility seriously.

“When a country spares no effort to unfairly criticize Georgia on every platform, naturally, our side will make corresponding decisions. It shouldn’t be surprising. It would be desirable if Poland and other countries, instead of staging shows, seriously consider their role in achieving peace, preventing war, and stop contributing to polarization, including in Georgia. We haven’t changed our approaches, which were clear from the beginning. We haven’t traded peace in Georgia for beautiful seats, sitting around any table, or for beautiful red carpets.

As for their approach, you can ask them if their voice has lost its strength. We will continue maintaining peace in our country. We would like to see Poland, which carries weight in the European Union, take its responsibility seriously because even a single statement in Warsaw has significant repercussions both in Georgia and throughout the Eastern Neighborhood,” Makhashvili told Georgian Public Broadcaster.

For reference, an informal meeting of the EU General Affairs Council was held in Warsaw. The meeting was chaired by Polish Minister for EU Affairs Adam Szłapka, who commented about Georgia during the post-meeting press conference: “During the first meeting, there was an empty chair in the room. This empty chair was waiting for Georgia. Georgia, due to its situation and the decision of its current government, did not participate in this meeting. We have our fingers crossed for Georgia and hope Georgia will join us later.”