Regardless of the outcome of the presidential election to be held in late October, it won’t influence the foreign policy orientation of Georgia. This was stated by Georgia’s Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze in an interview with IPN published today.
“As for the results [of the election], the People of Georgia have to define their future themselves. However, whoever wins the elections, this will not influence the European and Euro Atlantic course of development of our nation, since there is a broad consensus among society and main political forces on the foreign policy orientation of the country”, said Maia Panjikidze.
She further stated that the Georgian Government is making every effort to ensure that the upcoming election is “the most democratic, free and transparent” in the country’s history. “Our efforts are primarily focused on creation of fair and competitive pre-election environment and pluralistic media. Besides, the government refuses to use the administrative resources in the pre-election campaign and no incidence of misuse of office has been observed so far.
Georgia has invited observers from various international organizations, among them: Office of Democratic Institutions and Human rights (ODIHR), the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the NATO”.
The Georgian minister went on to add that the European and Euro-Atlantic integration is “the cornerstone of Georgia’s foreign policy”. “All polls and surveys reveal that the majority of the population of Georgia have positive attitude towards the European Union. In March 2013, the Georgian Parliament adopted the Resolution on the Basic Directions of Georgia’s Foreign Policy, stating that “integration into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures represents the main priority of the country’s foreign policy course.”
“Senior Georgian officials, including Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, have stated on numerous occasions that the European Integration has no alternative for Georgia”, stressed Maia Panjikidze .
Furthermore, the Georgian authorities see it as a priority to inform the society on the benefits of European integration. “The benefits by far outweigh the costs. Of course, we have certain commitments to meet before being able to enjoy fully the anticipated benefits. The Government of Georgia will try its best to communicate all aspects of the European Agenda to its citizens. We have adopted the “EU Integration, Communication and Information Strategy for 2014-2017”, aimed at raising the public awareness on the opportunities and challenges of the European integration process and providing objective information on the EU-integration related reforms” said Maia Panjikidze in her interview with IPN.
The Georgian foreign minister is visiting Chisinau on the occasion of the 5th Assembly of the Eastern Partnership’s Civil Society Forum, taking place in the Moldovan capital on November 4 and 5.
