Transparency International Director Affirms President Zourabichvili's Commitment to Advancing Georgia's European Aspirations
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Eka Gigauri, the Executive Director of Transparency International - Georgia, following the meeting with the President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili, stated that the President is determined to leverage her connections and will persist in pursuing Georgia's European aspirations.
Gigauri emphasized the significance of President Zourabichvili meeting with influential figures who can impact Georgia's EU candidacy status during each of her visits. She also noted that Zourabichvili wields more influence than the ruling party of Georgia.
"You're aware that we often have to make various visits, including to different European capitals. She also stressed the importance of using this opportunity to meet those specific individuals who can make decisions about our status during each visit. I can't say for sure whether she'll be there in person or not, but it's a fact that she'll leverage all her connections. She truly possesses more connections than the ruling party; she has more, let's say, significant influence over European leaders than the ruling party. Therefore, she'll make use of all this; she won't back down," remarked Gigauri.
Additionally, Nino Lomjaria, the leader of The European Orbit of Georgia, who was also in attendance at the meeting, mentioned that Salome Zourabichvili had not disclosed her specific plans during their meeting.
"Certain directions can be worked on together, while others may require separate efforts but with some level of coordination. A decisive moment is approaching, and we will have an answer regarding our status within a maximum of two months. After that, once we obtain the status, there is significant work to be done. We discussed that as well, of course, but today's focus was more on our collective stance, how we align, and whether we share a common vision for the future period and our role in it. Specific plans were not disclosed during the meeting, but they will be made public and known in the near future," Lomjaria stated.
