“When EU membership is offered to us as a trade-off requiring the sacrifice of our own values or peace and prosperity, when this is suggested to us indirectly, this presents us with a false dilemma,” Georgia’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists in Zugdidi.

According to the Prime Minister, Georgia aspires to join the EU while prioritising the maintenance of peace, promoting development, and safeguarding traditional values.

“We want EU membership whilst maintaining peace, fostering development, and preserving our traditional values. Under no circumstances can we compromise our principles,” the Prime Minister declared.

“Our desire is EU membership, yet everything demonstrates that the main guarantor of peace for any country remains its own independence and sovereignty. Everyone should remember this well,” Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists.

As the Head of Government noted, it is crucial to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and independence, for which multiple generations have fought.

“Of course, our desire and goal is EU membership, but to maintain peace and development in our country, we must first and foremost protect our nation’s sovereignty and independence, for which multiple generations of our country have fought, including in the 1980s and 1990s. Independence and sovereignty are the most important guarantors of peace and development in the country,” Irakli Kobakhidze declared.

“We hope that before Georgia’s EU membership comes onto the agenda, the European Union will overcome all these problems related to the deficit of independence and sovereignty,” Irakli Kobakhidze went on to say.

According to the Prime Minister, European bureaucracy has not proven sufficiently strong to defend Europe’s objective interests.

“Regrettably, events have unfolded on the European continent that have caused serious damage to all of Europe, including specifically the European Union.

Unfortunately, European bureaucracy has not proven sufficiently strong to defend Europe’s objective interests. The primary reason for this is that European bureaucracy is, unfortunately, largely influenced by external forces, which hampers its ability to make decisions based on objective national interests.

The sovereignty deficit is the main problem across Europe. Only a few countries in Europe remain that firmly defend their own independence and sovereignty. This is a common problem.

We hope that before Georgia’s EU membership comes onto the agenda, the European Union will overcome all these problems related to the deficit of independence and sovereignty,” the Prime Minister declared.

“The European Commission’s latest assessment confirms that we are ahead of up to 10 EU member states in practically every parameter, yet you can see that the attitude towards us is unfair, and the reason for this unfairness is that, unfortunately, European bureaucracy acts at the behest of external forces who do not want peace and development in our country,” the Prime Minister stated.

According to the Head of Government, by all objective assessments, Georgia is a clear leader.

“I find it difficult to say whether the European Commission will take into account its own report, which speaks of significant progress in Georgia. All objective assessments indicate that Georgia stands out as a clear leader both in terms of its reforms and its current situation.

In early 2023, a points-based assessment revealed that Georgia significantly outperformed Moldova and Bosnia. However, as you may recall, despite these results, Moldova and Bosnia were granted candidate status at that time, while Georgia was not.

According to all objective assessments, Georgia is an unconditional leader, not only among candidate countries. This latest assessment confirms that we are ahead of up to 10 EU member states in practically every parameter. Yet you can see that the attitude towards us is unfair, and the reason for this unfairness is that, unfortunately, European bureaucracy acts at the behest of external forces who do not want peace and development in our country,” the Prime Minister declared.