“Georgia’s future is democratic, free, and European,” said Michael Roth, a member of the German Bundestag.

According to Michael Roth, on October 26, the Georgian people have to decide between Europe or isolation, freedom or Russification.

“This turning point should have actually been initiated in 2008, when Russian imperialism struck against the Free Republic of Georgia, and with the provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, about 20 percent of Georgian territory was occupied by Russia. This so-called frozen conflict has still not thawed today and makes clear how painfully and relentlessly Russian imperialism and colonialism rages on our continent.

Like many others among you, I have had the privilege of traveling to Georgia often in recent months and years. Colleague Knut Abraham has praised the beauty of the country; Merle Spellerberg has done so as well. We all sometimes doubt Europe because too many people associate Europe with bureaucracy, only the internal market, economic details. If you really want to experience what Europe, what the EU is all about at its core, then I can only invite you all to travel to Georgia. There, they live what has sometimes become self-evident to us. Freedom, being different without fear, democracy, and also paying a price for the rule of law, for the independence of the media, for freedom of expression. That’s why I’ve said again and again: Tbilisi is the true capital of Europe, especially in the times and in the days and weeks when especially the young generation took to the streets to make it clear that we won’t let anyone rob us of our idea of Europe, not even a filthy rich oligarch who has made a lot of money through unfair means. Because the oligarchization of this country cannot be the future.

I also invite us all to differentiate between the population on the one hand and those politically responsible on the other. Yes, I admit, the Georgian Dream once belonged to the social democratic family. And now the Georgian Dream has become a Georgian nightmare. By that, I don’t mean that perhaps wrong decisions are also being made from our point of view, but it is simply incompatible with European values that the critical spirits of civil society are criminalized, marginalized. Intimidated, threatened. Those who do this have not understood Europe at its core and in its heart, dear colleagues. I would like to thank everyone who has taken a stand in recent months. I’m not just referring to the colleagues from the coalition factions, but explicitly also to the esteemed colleagues from the Union. We essentially agree on all points. That’s why I would also ask the friends of the Union to reconsider whether they couldn’t give their approval to this good proposal after all. Because the signal of unity will be very well understood by those in power in Tbilisi.

This election is the most important election since Georgia’s independence. On October 26, 2019, Georgians have the choice between Europe and a place in united Europe, in the heart of Europe, or isolation. They have the choice between democracy or authoritarianism. They have the choice between freedom or Russification. And if your proposal talks about regime change, which we should by all means stay out of, my message is clear. If there is anyone who is carrying out a regime change in Georgia, it is the ruling party, which is moving away from what the citizens have repeatedly and clearly stated. They want to be part of a united Europe. Today, attending this debate here, and this debate is also being followed very closely in Georgia, I’m now trying something that isn’t quite easy for me, but I would like to say a few sentences in Georgian. Georgia’s future is democratic, free, and European,” he said.