Georgian FM: Georgia's security guarantees, first and foremost, rest on “common sense” of Georgian Gov’t, people standing behind it

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Sunday said “Georgia's security guarantees, first and foremost, rest on the common sense of the Georgian Government and the people who stand behind it”.

In her interview with Imedi TV, Botchorishvili noted that the number of people who were supporting the Government’s efforts to maintain stability in the country was significantly higher than those in the opposing camp, which she accused of trying to destabilise the country and threaten its security.

“First of all, these security guarantees lie in the Government's common sense and responsibility. Of course, it is the Government’s responsibility when we talk about the security of the country. If we look at a broader picture, at what is happening in the region and what the security landscape will be, today there is a question mark over Europe’s overall security guarantees. Where are Europe’s security guarantees? Is the traditional security umbrella still valid? How will all of this look tomorrow?” the Minister said.

“Today, we also heard the statement from the President of the European Commission, emphasising that the focus should be on Europe’s security. This dialogue, these ideas, have existed for a long time, suggesting that Europe needs its own security framework, its own security direction. However, this idea was not particularly popular over the years, especially when it came to discussions about splitting the transatlantic security umbrella and creating a European one, independent from the United States”, she continued.

Botchorishvili further highlighted the discussions about Europe’s security held with her Turkish counterpart, adding that Turkey was a significant and influential power.

“Today, this issue has resurfaced, and it is likely that there will be further discussions. There are interesting developments here. We had a conversation, including last week when I was in Turkey - with my Turkish counterpart - about how they view Europe’s security. Turkey is a significant and influential power”, she said.

However, the FM added that this was likely a long-term process that “Europe must undergo, and Europe itself must eventually have a clear strategy, where its challenges lie and how to respond to each”, and emphasised that this question had not been raised for the first time.

“In this broader context, we must have cooperation with our partners, but this question is not one that only concerns Georgia; it relates to the entire European security framework”, Botchorishvili concluded.