Georgian PM says marking Europe Day on May 9 “symbolic”, expresses hope for return of Europe’s traditional principles to EU agenda

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Saturday said it is symbolic that Europe Day is celebrated on May 9, noting that the date marked the beginning of a new era in European history when humanism became the defining principle for Europe.

Speaking to journalists, Kobakhidze noted Europe had gone through many difficult historical processes before the late 1940s, after which humanism emerged as the continent’s main guiding principle.

“For 60 years, these principles firmly underpinned Europe’s development. Recent trends are unfortunate, although we must remain hopeful that these tendencies will reverse and that Europe will once again follow the path of prosperity and protection of identity, which is very important for each of us”, he said.

Kobakhidze further added that Europe had always held special value for Georgia because the country traditionally viewed Europe as a guarantor of the protection of Christian values.

“I hope that the principles on which Europe was founded after the 1940s will once again return to the European agenda and again become defining principles for Europe’s agenda and development”, the prime minister concluded.