Georgian Parliament Speaker highlights Gov’t’s commitment to “peace, reform, democratic development, innovation”

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said Georgia, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, was sitting in the region marked with “tensions and instability”, facing persistent challenges to peace.

In his address at a panel discussion in Geneva on the sidelines of the World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments, Papuashvili noted that despite the experience of “war and occupation”, the Georgian Government had chosen the path of “peace, reform, democratic development, and innovation”.

He further added that the Georgian Government remained committed to restoring the country's territorial integrity through peaceful means only, focusing on reconciliation and engagement between the war-torn communities.

“Peace initiatives gradually lay the foundation for trust - the first ingredient of peace. We believe that strong democratic institutions are important safeguards against instability. Sadly, nowadays, threats to peace include not only wars and conflicts, but serious challenges stemming from disrespect towards the sovereignty of nations, and interference in their internal affairs”, the Speaker said.

“In Georgia, we have seen the results of the lack of transparency about foreign funds that sought to implant foreign interests into political parties and the NGOs, promoting unrest and violence. Democratic peace is the one that lasts. It shall be based on transparency, accountability and justice. Peace rests not only on the absence of military conflicts but on respecting sovereignty of nations, their national interests, culture and traditions”, he continued.

Papuashvili further stressed that paradoxically, traditional values such as “sovereignty, independence, and democracy” were the greatest innovation these days.

“I reaffirm our commitment to working with all of you on every initiative aimed at crafting a future where peace, sovereignty and democracy represent a shared and appreciated reality”, he concluded.