The German edition “Spiegel” publishes an article about President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili. Christian Esch interviewed the President.

As President notes in an interview, for countries seeking to join the European Union, Europe looks differently.

“Those who are already members of the union often look tired of Europe and are impatient. We, who watch from the side, still admire EU, “- said Zurabishvili.

To the question that Georgia and Ukraine have a similar problem when the political elite wants to join the EU and NATO, but at the same time there are territorial disputes with Russia, Zurabishvili answered: “In Georgia, this is not only elite’s desire. There is a wide consensus among the population on this issue. The desire to belong to Europe is deeply rooted in our values; and secondly, we see no other perspective for Georgia”.

The Spiegel asked a question about the current relationship between Georgia and Russia.  According to Salome Zurabishvili, “Russia has failed to divert Georgia even slightly away from its path toward EU and NATO. This was the only goal of each step of Russia. The 2008 war, Russian military bases, the Russification in Abkhazia, the gradual displacement of occupation line – all of these could not manage to change our aspiration”, – President noted.