President Salome Zourabichvili stated that granting Georgia the status of a candidate country for EU membership in December of last year "caused Russia's anger to some extent," and that Moscow "undoubtedly asked or demanded that the increasingly pro-Russian Georgian authorities show which side they were on."
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"After obtaining candidate status, we have seen waves of anti-European and anti-Western rhetoric since January, which had begun earlier. There was an attack on the ambassadors in Tbilisi, but it took on a much more official, formal character with Mr. Ivanishvili at the helm, who practically declared war on our 30-year-old partners and friends in order to align with Moscow. He accused our partners, who participated in the formation of the Georgian state, the Georgian army, and the police, as if they wanted to open a second front in Georgia. It is as if Europe and the United States were seeking a new theater of crisis, while the only country in our region that opens new fronts against all its neighbors is, and has always been, Russia," Zourabichvili said.
As the President of Georgia noted, the candidate status was expedited by Ukraine, because without the struggle of Ukrainians, "Europe would have needed more time to be more open to the countries that are waiting for Europe."
At the same time, Zourabichvili criticized the ruling party of Georgia, Georgian Dream, for using the current war in Ukraine for electoral purposes, stating that she was shocked by this move.
"The government currently in power in Georgia considered it a good idea for this election campaign to display banners in the streets of Tbilisi featuring the theater of Mariupol, side by side with images of the restored theater in Georgia, where we know how many children died. They juxtaposed the destroyed cathedral in Ukraine with the Trinity Cathedral in the heart of Tbilisi.
This caused widespread indignation across Georgia, demonstrating that we are on the right path and can be optimistic. It sparked outrage among the remaining supporters of Georgian Dream, which (as I have said and will say again) has become a Georgian nightmare. This approach contradicts Georgian traditions, culture, and humanity, leading us to believe that we share common values with Europe. It is because of these values that we have a European destiny," said Salome Zourabichvili.
On September 27, the day of the fall of Sukhumi, Salome Zourabichvili attended the screening of the documentary film Forgotten Victims – Before Bucha Was Abkhazia in the French Parliament. She made these statements during the discussion held after the screening.
