The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, has stated that the authorities will never sacrifice the country’s territories for the sake of European Union membership. He emphasized that the “Ukrainian and Moldovan path” of European integration is not Georgia’s path and that the country will never follow it.
Papuashvili intends to convey to everyone—in the European Union, in Brussels, and to their so-called “satellites” in Georgia—that such a scenario is unacceptable for Georgia.
The politician stressed that EU membership is not an end in itself if it requires “sacrificing territories, sovereignty, and identity.”
Papuashvili pointed to a statement by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who noted that Ukraine would likely have to concede territories to advance toward EU membership.
He also referred to a statement by Moldovan President Maia Sandu, who allegedly repeated that the dissolution of the Moldovan state and its transformation into part of Romania is the most optimal path for Moldova’s accession to the EU.
“In the case of Merz’s statement, it is implied that if Ukraine wants membership, it will have to renounce jurisdiction and sovereignty over territories. The President of Moldova says that if Moldova wants to join the EU, it will have to not just renounce sovereignty, but effectively liquidate the state.
When Ukraine and Moldova are cited as examples for us, I want to say to everyone—in the EU, in Brussels, and to their ‘satellites’ in Georgia—that the Ukrainian and Moldovan path of European integration is not the Georgian path. Georgia will never follow a path that involves the concession of territories or the abolition of the state for the sake of EU membership. This is precisely what the thesis that EU membership should be an end in itself means. This is the result of such an ‘end in itself.’
If EU membership becomes an end in itself, it means that territorial and state sovereignty must be sacrificed.
In this sense, EU membership is not an end in itself for us if it requires surrendering territories, sovereignty, identity, and the right to determine our own policy—something that, according to him, is being set as a condition for Ukraine and Moldova by Brussels and is recognized by them themselves,” Papuashvili stated.
