Georgia’s ruling party official says Iceland’s EU decision shows choice of “developed, sovereign country”

Irakli Kirtskhalia, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, said on Monday that Iceland’s decision not to pursue European Union membership reflected the choice of a developed and sovereign country.

“We all need to understand that the European Union is an economic union. When you become a member of an economic union, no one needs a vulnerable country; everyone needs an economically strong country standing on its own two feet. But our so-called opponents tell us that a ruined country, a ruined economy and a vulnerable country should have the door to the European Union opened for it. In reality, this does not work like that,”, Kirtskhalia said.

“In Iceland, the public probably studied what membership in the current European Union means, and 53% made the decision they made, which 47% accepted in a democratic country”, he concluded.