Georgian Parliament Speaker praises Turkey as Georgia’s strategic ally, reliable neighbour

On the 102nd anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday praised Turkey as Georgia’s largest trading partner and steadfast supporter of Georgia’s sovereignty, emphasising the vital role of mutual respect for democratic legitimacy and non-interference in strengthening bilateral ties.

In his speech, Papuashvili honoured Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s vision of sovereignty and progress, which continued to guide Turkey.

“It is a great honour and pleasure for me to celebrate with you today the 102nd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey. This day is a special opportunity to pay tribute to the vision of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and all those who laid the foundations of your great state. Their foresight, aspiration for progress, and the principles they established – sovereignty, modern governance, and the spirit of advancement - transformed the country and remain relevant today”, he said.

The Speaker described Turkey as Georgia’s key strategic partner, top trade ally, and dependable neighbour, thanking it for backing Georgia’s territorial integrity and contributing to the Black Sea and Caucasus security.

“Turkey is Georgia’s strategic ally, largest trading partner, and reliable neighbour. We greatly appreciate Turkey’s unwavering support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its involvement in ensuring peace and stability in the Black Sea and South Caucasus regions”, he noted.

Amid global instability, he stressed that respect for each nation’s democratic elections is the foundation of their relationship.

“In an increasingly complex and unstable geopolitical environment, strengthening cooperation between Georgia and Turkey is essential for the future progress of our countries. Mutual respect for each other’s independence – expressed through the will of our peoples via democratic elections – has always been the cornerstone of our strategic relations with Turkey. Respect for sovereignty and popular democracy must be the most important principle in relations between independent states, because sovereignty is the primary expression of the people’s will, which is the main source of democratic legitimacy in the modern world”, he said.

Papuashvili noted that interference in a republic’s affairs undermined democracy, reaffirming the centrality of popular sovereignty.

“Georgia and Turkey are republics, and the very term republic reflects its core principle – the common cause and common task of the people. No one has the right to interfere from outside in a republic’s decisions. Any attempt to overthrow popular sovereignty contradicts the spirit of democracy”, he noted.

The Speaker highlighted recent parliamentary exchanges, including his June visit to Ankara, and expressed hope for deeper legislative ties.

“The parliaments of our countries are the cornerstones of our independence and democracy. We attach particular importance to deepening parliamentary ties with our colleagues from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. This year, in June, I paid an official visit to Turkey with a parliamentary delegation. I had a friendly and fruitful meeting with my counterpart, Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş. Our meetings are always constructive, sincere, and future-oriented. I hope my colleague will visit Georgia soon”, he said.

Celebrating the Georgia-Turkey corridor linking Europe and Asia, Papuashvili welcomed progress toward lasting peace in the region, including Armenia-Azerbaijan talks and Turkey-Armenia normalisation, pledging Georgia’s full support.

“Georgia and Turkey together form a historic corridor of opportunities connecting Europe and Asia, bringing benefits to our peoples. I am pleased that today we look to our region with renewed optimism, as we see signs of progress toward establishing long-term peace and security in the South Caucasus, including the prospects for a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the lifting of transit restrictions between these two countries. We also welcome the positive steps taken in the normalisation process between Turkey and Armenia. Georgia firmly supports this process. We believe that a stable, peaceful South Caucasus will create new opportunities for greater connectivity, economic growth, trade, and people-to-people exchanges”, Papuashvili noted.

“On behalf of the Parliament of Georgia, I once again congratulate the Turkish people on the anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey. I wish the Turkish people peace, prosperity, and ever-growing success. I once again reaffirm our commitment to friendship, cooperation, mutual respect, and active strategic partnership between our friendly countries”, the Speaker concluded.