Georgian president says country won’t humiliate itself to join EU

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili said that his country will not humiliate itself in order to join the European Union (EU).

He emphasised that Georgia seeks EU membership while preserving its historical values and protecting its national interests, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

“How can one humiliate their own citizens, their history, and their past by standing on one knee just to join some kind of union?!” Kavelashvili said.

The Georgian leader added that some NGOs and representatives of civil society have tried to place themselves above the legitimately elected government by interfering in the legislative process without public support.

Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023, but progress toward accession has largely stalled amid concerns from Brussels over "democratic backsliding and controversial legislation".

According to the European Commission, reforms on judicial independence, media freedom, and anti-corruption measures remain incomplete, preventing the start of formal membership negotiations.

By Jeyhun Aghazada