"After Russia’s setbacks in Syria, should it succeed in Georgia? After failing to impose its will in Ukraine, should it prevail in Georgia? After failing in Moldova, should it win in Georgia? And after its failure in Romania, I hope soon to see it again, should it win in Georgia? These are the questions for you," Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili urged the European Union to take action during her speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
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Zourabichvili stated that Russia's actions in Georgia represent a form of intervention that is far less costly, explaining that Russia relies on its puppets within the country, manipulates democratic instruments like elections, and imposes its rule through those very elections.
“If we are honest, Europe has not yet fully lived up to the moment. So far, it has met the challenge halfway. The recent Foreign Affairs Council was a first step, but much more can and should be done. I won’t go into specifics, as that is your decision, but you know where Georgians have been fighting tirelessly, while Europe has been slow to react. As European flags are banned in Tbilisi, Georgians are still waiting for meaningful measures from Brussels and Washington. I hope we will not have to wait for a deeper crisis to force Europe into action,” Salome Zourabichvili noted.
According to the Georgian President, the first step Europe can take is to provide consistent political support at the highest level, because “Georgians, first of all, need to know that they are not alone.” The second priority, she stated, is ensuring justice.
We need to swiftly release the hundreds imprisoned under unjust sentences, some as long as nine years. There should be closer monitoring of trials, as some European ambassadors observed recently and were deeply impressed. More visits like this would help assess how the judiciary operates. [...]
New elections are another way for Europe to support us. We need Europe to support this call as the only peaceful path forward,” Zourabichvili emphasized.
The Georgian President also stressed that the EU must utilize its influence and act as a “geopolitical Europe.”
“Europe is Georgia’s biggest donor, its largest market, and home to its biggest diaspora. Europe needs to leverage its power. If Europe cannot exert influence over a country of just 3.7 million people, how can it expect to compete with the giants of the 21st century?
Europe has personal influence as well - it is the preferred destination for Georgia’s corrupt elite. While they import post-Soviet Russian governance to Georgia, they are eager to save and spend their money in Europe.
They want Russian-style corruption for Georgians, but Europe for themselves. there are many ways Europe can stand by Georgia,” Zourabichvili concluded.
