“Step by step, they are accustoming us - and they are still doing so today - to the idea that if we become a member of the European Union, we will be a second-class nation within it,” said Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili, commenting on EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos’s statement that voting rights for new EU members may be restricted. According to him, “it turns out that Georgia is expected not only to ‘stand on one leg’ to join the EU, but even after joining.”

“It seems they are already preparing us for the idea that there will be no equality in membership. This is truly a major statement about what that remark actually meant. We heard that if any candidate country becomes a member, it will have all the obligations of membership, but not equal rights. I don’t know whose mind can produce such ideas - that you can discriminate against entire nations, that EU members can be divided into first-class and second-class members. In the 21st century, we are hearing directly from an EU Commissioner an Orwellian approach that ‘all are equal, but some are more equal than others.’ That is exactly what was said yesterday by Marta Kos, and this is not new.

They are preparing us for this idea. First, the German Chancellor said something similar regarding Ukraine, and you remember Ukraine’s reaction - that it does not intend to enter the EU as a second-class nation. That is natural. I do not know any country, except Moldova, that would give up all privileges and hand over decision-making about itself to others. Moldova has even declared that it is ready to abolish the state altogether, and that is how it sees the path to EU membership,” Papuashvili said.

According to him, it is interesting to see the position of radical groups and what they will say publicly.

“You remember statements like ‘we must stand on one leg for EU membership.’ Now it turns out that not only do we have to stand on one leg to enter the EU, but also after entering it. That is what has been presented through this idea. I would call on everyone to urgently stop even discussing this idea of dividing nations into first- and second-class groups. Regardless, this idea has already damaged relations between candidate countries and the EU, because the EU has shown what its real attitude is toward candidate countries - it sees them as second-class countries.”

According to the Speaker, “now is the moment for candidate countries to raise their voices against this truly outrageous initiative, which implies segregation of nations within the EU in the 21st century.”

“Four years ago, when we applied for EU membership, we did not sign anything saying that Georgia would not have a voice or participation in foreign policy decisions after joining,” he said.

He compared the situation to the Soviet Union.

“What else is the Soviet Union if not such an approach, where there are big and small nations - dominant nations and subordinate nations. It is very unfortunate that such developments are taking place,” Papuashvili said.

In response to a question about whether this means Georgia might give up its EU membership path, he said Georgia will not accept being a second-class nation.

“By discussing and considering such decisions, the EU itself is moving away from its own values, which are based on equality among members and the rejection of dividing nations into first- and second-class categories. We do not intend to be second-class, we did not sign up for that, and Article 78 of Georgia’s Constitution does not imply making our nation second-class in any union.”

He added that this issue will eventually affect EU member states as well, and that all should raise their voices.

“Now it is important for candidate countries to unite their voices and oppose the EU’s drift toward a civilizational abyss, because this problem is not only for candidate countries - it will eventually affect member states too, where first-class nations will decide the fate of second-class ones. Today, the EU is meant to be a remedy, so that it does not fall into a civilizational abyss and segregation,” he said.

According to him, the Georgian government wants clarity on the EU’s intentions.

“Our plans are clear, and we are following them. Despite pressure from Brussels, we continue on our European path. What we are waiting for is what decision the EU will make. They must decide how they see the EU - whether as the union built on its founding principles, or as something transformed into a system resembling the Soviet Union, where dominant and subordinate nations exist. Do you want to be in the position of a subordinate nation in any union? We want to know what the EU intends to do. The application has been made. Until now, various leaders have spoken - Merz said something and received a fitting response from Zelensky, who said Ukraine does not accept being a second-class nation. Now this statement is being presented as an official EU position. It is unfortunate that such an idea has been conceived and is being seriously discussed. Therefore, we must ensure that discussion of this idea is stopped immediately.”

He concluded by saying: “The biggest anti-European force today is Brussels and the political team that determines the EU’s agenda.”