Georgian Parliament Speaker criticises proposal to limit new EU members’ veto rights, says it creates “second-class” members

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday criticised remarks by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos regarding a possible restriction of veto rights for future EU members, saying such an approach would create “second-class” nations within the European Union.

Responding to a journalist’s question about Kos’ statement that the veto power of new EU members could be limited, Papuashvili said candidate countries were being treated as unequal partners.

“I think this was an open secret that was revealed by them themselves. Candidate countries, and Georgia in particular, are being viewed as second-class countries and nations that are not considered equal. Unfortunately, this is the only attitude we are seeing”, Papuashvili said.

He said that throughout Georgia’s relations with the EU, the country had sought closer integration, while different formats had been introduced to keep Georgia close without granting full membership.

“Marta Kos’ statement also shows that, apparently, we are gradually accustomed to the idea that there will be no membership under equal conditions. I do not know whose minds such ideas come from, ideas that imply a discriminatory approach toward entire nations”, Papuashvili said.

He called on EU officials to stop considering such an initiative and rejecting what he described as the classification of nations into “first- and second-class” categories.

“The only thing I would call for is to immediately stop even discussing this idea and the categorization of nations into first- and second-class nations”, he added.

Papuashvili said that the damage had already been done to relations between the EU and candidate countries simply by raising the idea.

“Through this, the European Union has shown what its real attitude is toward candidate countries. There are nine candidate countries, if I am not mistaken, and these countries are being viewed as second-rate countries”, he said.

According to Papuashvili, candidate countries should speak out against what he called an unacceptable initiative that would introduce segregation of nations within the EU.

“When we applied for EU membership four years ago, we did not sign up for this. We are gradually becoming accustomed to the idea that, if we become EU members, we will be a second-class nation within the European Union”, Papuashvili concluded.