The refusal to invite the Georgian delegation to the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) constitutes a violation of the Georgian Parliament’s right to participate in COSAC meetings. The Georgian government has never stated that it is halting the process of integration into the European Union! On the contrary, the Georgian government spares no effort to fulfill the requirements placed on a candidate country in accordance with the Georgia-EU Association Agreement, stated Shalva Papuashvili, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Danish Parliament.

According to Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament recently received a letter from the Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament, informing them that there are no plans to invite representatives of the Georgian Parliament to the so-called COSAC meeting.

Papuashvili asserts that, based on COSAC’s regulations, the Danish Parliament does not have the authority to refuse to invite the Georgian Parliament to participate. However, “it appears that the rules-based international order is, for some, a term adaptable to political preferences.”

According to Papuashvili, the only term that can describe this intention is arbitrariness, and “citing the Georgian government’s non-existent decision regarding the alleged suspension of EU integration as a pretext is simply disinformation.”

Papuashvili stated that “where there is arbitrariness and disinformation, there can be no Europe.”

“Your Excellency,

I am writing in response to the letter from Ms. Brigitte Klintskov Jerkel, Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament, sent to Mr. Levan Makhashvili, Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament. Ms. Jerkel notes in her letter that she is also writing on behalf of the Chairs of the Finance and Foreign Policy Committees of the Danish Parliament.

The letter reveals that the Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament intends not to invite representatives of the Georgian Parliament to the meetings of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC), on the grounds that Georgia has suspended its EU integration process.

It is surprising that this issue is being used as a pretext for not inviting the Georgian delegation, as the Georgian government has never stated that it is halting the EU integration process. On the contrary, the Georgian government spares no effort to fulfill the requirements placed on a candidate country in accordance with the Georgia-EU Association Agreement.

The Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Danish Parliament acknowledges in her letter that Georgia, as an EU candidate country, “has the right to be invited to COSAC meetings.” Indeed, Article 3.2 of the COSAC regulations stipulates that “three members of the parliament of each candidate country shall be invited as observers to COSAC plenary and extraordinary meetings” and contains no provisions for denying their participation.

Thus, in light of the above, the refusal to invite the Georgian delegation constitutes a violation of the Georgian Parliament’s right to participate in COSAC meetings. At the same time, I would like to note that the violation of COSAC regulations by the Chairs of the Danish Parliament’s committees contradicts the norms and spirit of the rules-based international order, which has faced serious challenges in recent times, and, accordingly, contradicts the fundamental principles enshrined in the EU treaties.

Your Excellency,

I firmly believe that the essence of European integration lies in promoting dialogue and the exchange of views, not in blocking them, especially through the violation of rules.

We remain open to future cooperation and dialogue.

I assure you of my highest consideration.

Shalva Papuashvili,” Papuashvili writes in the letter.