Unwavering Support for President Salome Zourabichvili in Defending Georgia's European Future

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament warmly welcomes the presence of Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili in Strasbourg today. President Zourabichvili was invited to address the plenary and shed light on the challenges her country is currently facing.

Our political group strongly condemns the violent crackdown on peaceful, pro-European demonstrators in Georgia. We urge the EU to impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for the unlawful use of force, arbitrary arrests, and the intimidation of both demonstrators and opposition leaders.

Furthermore, we express our deep concerns about the Georgian government's growing divergence from the European path. By pushing the country away from the EU and toward a Russia-style autocracy, the government is disregarding the will of the Georgian people, who continue to take to the streets in defense of their democratic values and European aspirations.

President of Renew Europe Group, Valérie Hayer (Renaissance, France), said:

"We stand in solidarity with the people of Georgia who want a European path for their country. Illegitimate elections and a new, illegitimate President will not deter the Georgian people. There is no sustainable peace in Europe without sustainable peace around Europe."

Renew Europe MEP, Urmas Paet (Estonian Reform Party), shadow rapporteur on Georgia, added:

“We stand with the Georgian people and with President Salome Zourabichvili. Georgia’s place is with Europe and not Russia.”

Renew Europe MEP, Nathalie Loiseau (Horizons, France), who was part of a delegation of members of the European Parliament to “discuss the country’s path toward European integration” last week in Tbilisi, concluded:

“I am glad that our call to invite the Georgian President, Salome Zourabichvili, in the house of our democracy became a fact. Georgian Dream turned out to be Georgia’s nightmare, stealing elections and stealing people’s European future. What are we waiting for to sanction the handful of Georgian Dream order-givers who want to put the country under their thumb and that of Vladimir Putin? Georgian protesters believe in the power of Europe. For their sake as for our sake, let’s prove to them that they are right.”