Speaker Papuashvili: We appreciate role of strategic ally Türkiye in ensuring peace in Black Sea, South Caucasus

“Türkiye is Georgia’s strategic ally, our largest trading partner, and a reliable neighbour. We greatly value Türkiye’s unwavering support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its active engagement in maintaining peace and stability across the Black Sea and South Caucasus regions,” stated Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, in his speech at the event commemorating Türkiye’s Independence Day.

According to Papuashvili, in an increasingly complex and volatile geopolitical environment, deepening cooperation between Georgia and Türkiye is vital for the future advancement of both nations.

“It is a great honour and pleasure for me to celebrate with you today the 102nd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye. Today provides a special opportunity to pay tribute to the vision of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and all those who laid the foundations of your great state. Their foresight, drive for progress, and the principles they established, sovereignty, modern governance, and a spirit of innovation, have transformed your country and continue to be highly relevant today.

Türkiye is a strategic ally, a major trading partner, and a reliable neighbour of Georgia. We sincerely appreciate Türkiye’s steadfast support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the Black Sea and South Caucasus regions.

In an increasingly complex and unpredictable geopolitical landscape, strengthening our cooperation is essential for the continued progress of our countries. Respect for each other’s independence, manifested through the democratic will of our peoples, has always been the cornerstone of our strategic relationship with Türkiye. Sovereignty and respect for democracy are fundamental principles for any independent nation, as sovereignty embodies the will of the people, who are the primary source of democratic legitimacy in the modern world.

Georgia and Türkiye are both republics, and the very concept of a ‘republic’ embodies a fundamental principle—the shared national cause and a common purpose, with no external interference in the sovereignty of the state. Any attempt to undermine people’s sovereignty runs counter to the spirit of democracy,” emphasised Papuashvili.

The Speaker of the Georgian parliament has also highlighted that, simultaneously, the parliaments of Türkiye and Georgia are the pillars of our independence and democracy.

“We attach particular importance to deepening parliamentary ties with our colleagues from the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. In June, I paid an official visit to Türkiye with a parliamentary delegation. I had a friendly and productive meeting with my colleague, the Speaker of the Parliament, Numan Kurtulmuş. Our discussions are always constructive, sincere, and forward-looking. I look forward to the day when my colleague will visit Georgia,” added Papuashvili.

Shalva Papuashvili further expressed that together, Georgia and Türkiye are forging a historic corridor of opportunities connecting Europe and Asia, “benefiting our peoples.”

“I am pleased to see renewed optimism in our region, as we observe signs of progress towards establishing lasting peace and security in the South Caucasus, including the prospects of a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the easing of transit restrictions between the two countries. We also welcome the positive developments in the normalisation process between Türkiye and Armenia. Georgia strongly supports this process. We believe a stable, peaceful South Caucasus will open new avenues for enhanced connectivity, economic growth, trade, and people-to-people exchanges,” said Shalva Papuashvili.

On behalf of the Parliament of Georgia, Papuashvili once again extended his congratulations to the Turkish people on the anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye.

“I wish the Turkish people peace, prosperity, and increasing success. I reaffirm our commitment to friendship, cooperation, mutual respect, and a strategic partnership between our two countries,” he concluded.