Ms. Kos can repeat those expressions as often as she likes, but it is better to be a candidate country merely on paper than a state merely on paper—this is how the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, responds to the statement by EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos that Georgia is a candidate country only on paper.

As Papuashvili noted, had they heeded Brussels and escalated tensions with Russia, today Georgia would have been a country devastated by war, just like Ukraine.

“I believe it is better to be a candidate country merely on paper than to be a state merely on paper—and that was the choice we had to make. Had we listened to and heeded Brussels, today Georgia would have been be a state only on paper, for several reasons: first, had we followed Brussels' advice and escalated tensions with Russia, Georgia’s economy would have been as damaged as Moldova’s is now. Had we listened to Brussels and escalated with Russia, Georgia would, in all likelihood, have been drawn into a military conflict—a new military confrontation—with Russia, and today we would have been a country devastated by war, just as Ukraine is. Thus, the "cardinal sin" we have committed in the eyes of Brussels is that we do not follow their harmful advice, and the Georgian people benefit as a result.

I repeat: had we heeded everything they advised, Georgia would have existed today only on paper. So, Ms. Kos can repeat these phrases as often as she likes, but it is better to be a candidate country—even if only on paper—than to be a state on paper," Papuashvili remarked.

As a reminder, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos stated at a press conference that Georgia is a candidate country only on paper.

She added that current developments would be reflected in the enlargement report.

"As you know, Georgia is a candidate country only on paper. I regret this. I would have liked for Georgia, too—with the overwhelming support of the Georgian people—to be at the same level today as Moldova and Ukraine," Marta Kos said.