Georgia’s parliament speaker stresses national interests over geopolitical labels in annual address

Shalva Papuashvili, delivering the annual report of the eleventh convocation of the Parliament of Georgia, on Tuesday stressed that Georgia’s European identity was rooted in history, culture, and values, not in membership of the EU or external approval.

Speaking at the plenary session, Papuashvili described Europe as a civilizational and value-based space, historically shaped in part by Georgians, and said the European Union was only one manifestation of that broader European heritage.

“The fact that Georgia is not an EU member does not mean Georgia is not Europe, or less European than anyone else. No one in Brussels or any EU capital can lecture Georgians on the values we have defended throughout history,” he said.

Papuashvili also argued that current international politics have moved beyond simplistic ‘pro-West’ or ‘pro-Russia’ labels, with the only meaningful measure being whether policies are pro-Georgian or anti-Georgian.

“Today there is only one standard: pro-Georgian or anti-Georgian. Any foreign-oriented label that disconnects our policy from national interests ultimately becomes anti-Georgian,” he said.

Highlighting the work of the eleventh parliament, Papuashvili noted that the 2024 elections, in which “1.12 million citizens voted for a stable and sovereign future,” gave the ruling party, Georgian Dream, a “clear mandate” to act in the national interest. 

He also criticized the “fragmented opposition”, saying that some groups seek both parliamentary representation and the rejection of the institution’s legitimacy, leaving them politically sidelined.

Papuashvili concluded that Georgia’s policies should prioritize national interests and sovereignty, rejecting external pressures or imposed geopolitical frameworks, and reaffirming that “truth and legitimacy” lie on the side of the Georgian people.