‘Georgia’s destiny is to come back to the European family.’ This was the unambiguous message from Georgia’s head of state as she addressed an audience of diplomats, journalists, and international relations experts in London on 28 February.
While weighing the importance of crucial parliamentary elections in Georgia this October, President Zourabichvili was also clear that Georgia’s fate was closely aligned with that of Ukraine, “there is no support for Georgia if you do not first continue to support Ukraine’, she insisted.
On the subject of Georgia’s future following the announcement lsat in 2023 that the EU commission had approved the country for candidate status, LI President Dr Hakima el Haite opened the evening by recalling Liberal International’s commitment to Georgia, asserting that ‘LI has stood by Georgia and its political forces that strive for a European future, viewing Georgia not as a post-Soviet country but as a future member of the European Union.’
In London for the special speech and meetings with the bureau of Liberal International, the veteran politician who has been the subjected of a politically-motivated impeachment process and accused of treason by the ruling, Putin-friendly Georgian Dream government, exchanged ideas around democratic resilience with LI bureau members including those from liberal parties in government across Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
The event, which concluded with a dinner in President Zourabichvili’s honour, was made possible with the partnership of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation Europe and the Europe-Georgia Institute.
