Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has travelled to Ireland to attend the ninth European Political Community summit, taking place in Dublin. A delegation, including Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili and Head of the Government Administration Levan Zhorzholiani, is accompanying him.
On November 12, Kobakhidze is scheduled to participate in the summit’s opening plenary session and a roundtable discussion on ensuring the security and defence of a democratic Europe.
As part of his Ireland visit, Kobakhidze also took part in the discussion titled “Georgia’s Role in Europe’s Architecture,” hosted by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA), on November 11, where he said Europe was facing “negative trends” related to migration and threats to ethnic and religious identities, while presenting Georgia and the South Caucasus as the “only route connecting Europe with the East.”
EPC has been among the Western-led international forums where Georgian leaders have been traditionally invited despite their broader estrangement from European political circles.
Discussion at Institute of International and European Affairs
In his address during the IIEA discussion, Kobakhidze said that Georgia considers itself a European nation because of its Christian heritage, traditions, and culture, adding that Europe should also preserve its “traditional values,” according to the official press release.
“In this regard, we are witnessing certain negative trends, including developments related to migration and adverse trends affecting the ethnic and religious identities of various European countries. Therefore, the first reason we consider Georgia a European nation is our values, traditions and culture – Georgia’s European cultural identity,” he was quoted as saying by the government administration.
During the discussions, he also argued that Georgia’s strategic importance to Europe lies in its role in regional connectivity, claiming that Georgia and the South Caucasus remain “the only route connecting Europe with the East.”
“Under these circumstances, Georgia and the South Caucasus region remain the only route connecting Europe with the East. This is precisely why, from an economic perspective, maintaining close cooperation and strong ties between the European Union and Georgia is of paramount importance not only for Georgia but also for Europe itself,” he was quoted in the press release.
Addressing Georgia’s relations with the European Union, Kobakhidze described their current state as “not satisfactory enough,” while saying that the government was interested in changing the situation.
He reiterated his common claims on Georgia-EU relations, noting that Georgia’s application for EU candidate status in March 2022 was not granted at the time, that the European Commission later rejected Georgia’s request to open accession negotiations, and that it suspended political dialogue with Tbilisi in June 2024.
“We are very interested in changing this situation. However, it is of utmost importance that cooperation between the two sides be based on shared values,” he said.
More to follow…
Also Read:
