Margvelashvili evaluates Vilnius summit
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Thursday, December 5
President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, estimated his visit to the Vilnius summit and talked about the country’s foreign and internal policies on the Archevani (the choice) talk show, aired on Rustavi 2 on December 3.
Margvelashvili said that Eastern Partnership’s third summit was not typical, as Georgia became a new political “flagman” of the union.
“It was a very important summit. It is very rare when politics are improvised during the meeting, because usually everything is ready much earlier. And with the choice that Georgia has made in 2012-2013, it became a very interesting country for Europe.”
The president said that safety is one of the components indicated in the document. “We have been included in this since 1993, when we declared our politics and our steady course of action pertaining to Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Europe knows that we will never use force in our efforts to gain back our territories. We all know that in the 21st century, barbed wire fences cannot have any strategic meaning. These fences are created only to cause problems for the people in these regions,” stated Margvelashvili.
Margvelashvili talked about initialing the association document with the European Union and during the next year, possibly straining relations between Georgia and the Russian Federation. He also said that Russia will respond to Georgia in a different way than they did with Ukraine.
“They will not be able to play the same card in Georgia. It is because the Georgian economy is not dependent on Russia. This fact is good only in this case, otherwise we want to have a good relationship with them. Georgian society and the whole government is in agreement on our European choice,” stated Margvelashvili, and added that “this was not victory or competition with Russia, it was just creating a better environment in a modern world– a comfortable and peaceful environment, it is pity if Russia saw something else in our actions.”
Margvelashvili also explained the meaning of the document. “This document will bring us many things. We will have the opportunity to have a more intensive relationship with Europe. The visa regime will also be relaxed. Georgian citizens will be able to move to and from the EU without any problems. It is good for our market too. It will be easier to trade, and more investors will come; many doors will open for us,” stressed Margvelashvili, adding that it will bring the country more stability and democracy.
Margvelashvili stated that Georgia has a very steady position toward NATO and said that Russia will not be able to have any kind of impact on this fact. “Georgia is a small country, which is very seriously, boldly and courageously supporting NATO in its operations globally and in keeping peace around the world,” stated the president.
Margvelashvili said that Russia has made a mistake with declaring the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. “Russia, which is trying to cooperate with the world community, has lost its image,” he stated. The president also said that Georgia will show young generations from the occupied regions that “Georgia is not trying to take anybody’s freedom; we just want to have good relationships and a peaceful co-existence with our neighbors. With the barbed wire fences, Russia is also trying to prevent young people from moving to Georgia,” stated the president.
