Georgian PM questions “troubling events” in Copenhagen, says they contradict European values

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday said that as part of European civilization and a candidate country for membership in the European Union, Georgia had “serious questions” regarding the “troubling events” that unfolded in the heart of Europe, in Denmark’s capital Copenhagen, which, he added, “have nothing in common with either Europe or European values”.

In his open letter to the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, the European Council president Antonio Costa and the European Parliament president Roberta Metsola, Kobakhidze emphasised that Georgia was a country founded on European values, a country where human dignity, humanism, freedom and national identity were not merely declared principles, but deeply rooted values shaped over centuries and ingrained in the very fabric of the nation.

“Historically, culturally and in terms of values, Georgia is part of the European space, while at the same time being a candidate country for membership in the European Union, striving to become a fully-fledged member of the European family. Unfortunately, as a result of the decision taken by the European bureaucracy with regard to Georgia, political dialogue with our country was unilaterally - at your initiative - suspended after which the formats of discussion and cooperation proposed by us were repeatedly rejected. Given this situation, we are compelled to address you publicly through an open letter”, he said.

“We have repeatedly stated that Georgia’s aspiration to join the European Union is not driven by a desire for formal integration. For our people, Europe is first and foremost a space of values, a civilizational choice made by our ancestors, founded on Christian morality, freedom, equality, respect for human rights and democratic principles”, Kobakhidze emphasised.

He noted that for Georgia, the European Union was a common European civilizational space, a union that belonged not to any particular political figure, European leader or Eurobureaucrat, but to the peoples of Europe, including the Georgian people.

“Against this backdrop, as a part of European civilization and a candidate country for membership in the European Union, we have questions regarding the troubling events that unfolded in the heart of Europe, in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark and which - we believe - have nothing in common with either Europe or European values”, he concluded.