Zurabishvili: Russia Cannot Divert Us from Our Euro-Atlantic Path

President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili said in an interview with the German media outlet Spiegel that Russia has failed to divert Georgia from its Euro-Atlantic path.

“Russia has failed to divert Georgia even a centimeter from its path towards the EU and NATO. This was the only goal of each step of Russia. The 2008 war, Russian military bases, the Russification in Abkhazia, the gradual moving of the occupation line – none of these acts was able to change our aspirations,” she said, referring to Georgia’s two Russian-occupied regions Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

In addition, Zurabishvili noted that the situation is currently frozen.

“Russia cannot change Georgia and Georgia cannot change the situation on the occupied territories,” she said.

To the question that Georgia and Ukraine have a similar problem whereby the political elite wants to join the EU and NATO, but at the same time there are territorial disputes with Russia, Zurabishvili answered: “In Georgia, this is not only the desire of the elite: there is a wide consensus among the population on this issue. The desire to belong to Europe is deeply rooted in our values; and secondly, we see no other perspective for Georgia”.

She also noted that to countries seeking to join the European Union, Europe appears different than it does to those already a part of it. “Those who are already members of the Union often appear tired of Europe and are impatient. We, who watch from the side, still admire the EU,” the President said.

By Thea Morrison