Georgian FM reaffirms commitment to EU integration

Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili on Wednesday reiterated Georgia's unwavering commitment to European Union integration.

In her remarks at a panel discussion on the sidelines of the international conference Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Botchorishvili noted that joining the European Union and NATO had long been a strategic goal for the country, aligning it with Western democracies.

“The European Union is where we wanted to see ourselves, in line with the Western states, to be in the European Union and NATO. We have had and have very strong cooperation with NATO and the European Union”, the FM said.

She highlighted Georgia's contributions to NATO peacekeeping missions, including its role as a leading non-NATO contributor in Afghanistan. Furthermore, she noted that Georgia had been an associated partner of the EU since 2014, with a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement facilitating integration into the European market.

“Over the past decade, we have made significant progress in our reforms, which have helped Georgia advance compared to other EU partners. We have excelled in areas such as anti-corruption efforts, open governance, and business development, all of which are part of a structured reform agenda”, she continued.

Discussing security concerns, the Foreign Minister stressed that the EU remained a crucial partner for Georgia. She pointed to the European Union Monitoring Mission, which operates along the occupation line in Georgia, as a key security guarantee.

“The European Union is still an important partner for us. The European Union is the only player represented in Georgia, and we perceive this as a security guarantee. We have the European Union Monitoring Mission along the occupation line, and their presence there is still important for us”, Botchorishvili noted.

She also highlighted Georgia's recent EU membership candidate status, a long-term goal enshrined in the Georgian Constitution.

“In 2023, we became a candidate state for EU membership. This is a long-term goal for us, which is written in the Georgian Constitution. By the way, it was our Government that decided to include this article in the Constitution in 2018. This remains the main goal of our foreign policy, which we must achieve”, the top Georgian diplomat stressed.

She acknowledged the challenges both Georgia and the EU face, including external influences, and emphasised the need for continued dialogue to navigate the path to EU membership.

Botchorishvili stressed the importance of mutual understanding and learning between Georgia and the EU, given their relatively recent engagement.

“When we talk about the European Union, one thing must be said: Georgia and this region are new to Europe. We consider ourselves Europeans, this is a European country, but we do not have a history of living in European bodies. The same can be said about the European Union, they also see us as Europeans, but they do not have the experience of living together with us as one family. This is what we need to learn. If we look at the map, this is enough to understand how complex this region is. Georgia and the European Union need a serious dialogue on how Georgia should become a member of the European Union”, she concluded.