Georgia is a sovereign country and it is unfair for the great Georgian people to see their country transformed in a battleground between EPP and other political groups, - MEP Christian Terhes has written on Facebook.

The MEP talks about the meeting with the Georgian delegation, calling Georgia “a magnificent country with wonderful and strong people”.

“I had a great meeting today with Kahka Kuchava, Deputy Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, and Irakli Bereia, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, where we continued the topics we discussed in Tbilisi in December 2019, during the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

I thanked them for the warm welcome that all Members of the European Parliament, including myself, received in Tbilisi in December. Georgia is a magnificent country with wonderful and strong people, and any visitor will be impressed by their hospitality.

The first subject we discussed was the situation of the Georgian territories Abkhazia and South Ossetia occupied by the Russian Federation in 2008. There are continuous reports about harassments and threats against the Georgians living in the occupied territories, which are deeply concerning. I reassured the delegation of my full support for Georgia to regain back its occupied territories.

The second subject we discussed was the economy and the opportunities for growth. Georgia has a high potential for business due to fine products, like vines, and top quality services, like tourism. A stronger presence of the Georgian products and services on the EU market will be beneficial for both parties.

Last but not least, the third topic we discussed was the current internal situation in Georgia, especially after the unfair comments made in the AFET Committee on January 21, 2020.

The Georgians have supported for many years the European and NATO path for their country. Because of this dedication to a democratic path, Georgia is still paying the high price of having some of its territories under occupation by the Russian Federation.

Georgia has gone through deep democratic reforms over the past years, which demonstrated the commitment of the country and its government to Western path and democratic values, specifically the rule of law, democracy and respect for human rights and liberties.

Furthermore, Georgia has proved to be a committed and responsible member of the democratic world family, and a reliable partner for EU and NATO.

Any domestic political debates in Georgia, which are normal in any democracy, shall not outshine the reforms and continuous progress achieved by Georgia over the past years through strong determination and decisiveness.

Georgia is a sovereign country and it is unfair for the great Georgian people to see their country transformed in a battleground between EPP and other political groups.

Every country has the right to decide on an electoral system that suits them best, as long as it is within the democratic boundaries. The role of the foreign observers is to make sure the elections are free and fair, respecting at the same time the right of the people to choose their representatives.

Georgia will be as strong as its people stay united, which is why I encourage all the Georgians to put their country first and to not allow the political disputes, which are normal in a democracy, to divide them”, the MEP says.