Ukrainian and Georgian... Therefore European
By Natalie Osipovi
Monday, December 9
The “Million March” against the government was held in Kiev on Sunday. The Ukrainians demanded the resignation of the president and the government. In response, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Nikolai Azarov, stated that this request was absurd, because the constitution did not consider the resignation of the president.
In light of the protests, the Vice-President of the EPP and Chairman of the EPP Group in the Euronest Assembly, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, together with the former President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the EPP Foreign Ministers meetings, Elmar Brok, and the EPP Group's Coordinator on Foreign Affairs, Jose Ignacio Salafranca, travelled to Ukraine a day earlier on Saturday in their capacity as EPP Group MEPs. The former President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili also joined the delegation.
“I feel Ukrainian. I am Ukrainian. I am Ukrainian and Georgian, therefore I am European,” stated Saakashvili expressing the readiness to help Ukraine, during the press conference, which was held on the Euromaidan, in the headquarters of the opposition.
During the meeting with the Prime Minister of Moldova, Vlad Filat and the leader of the Ukrainian “Udar” party, Vitali Klichko, Saakashvili and Filat expressed their support for the Ukrainian people's aspirations for European integration and the peaceful protection of their rights.
"Ukraine has no other way but to Europe, because this is a choice of principles and values," stated Saakashvili.
He also addressed the protesters gathered in Kiev: “Today, I came here, not only in Europe, but at the very center of Europe, at the beating, living, singing heart of Europe! Ukrainian triumph will put an end to the Vladimir Putin era, and it will start here, on this very square!”
Saakashvili mentioned that this struggle is shared by Georgians, who have gathered in Tbilisi and held demonstrations in support of Ukrainians. “The success of freedom in Ukraine is the success of freedom in Georgia, Moldova, in all the Eastern Partnership countries and beyond. It will make Russia abdicate its imperialism and in the end, it will turn Russia into a nation state, a state that has borders and not margins, partners and not slaves. And with this, Russia, a democratic nation’s state, we will be a friend we will trade and cooperate with,” he said.
The pro-European rallies continue in Ukraine.
