Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock Says There Are Attempts to Divert Georgia from Pro-EU Course
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, March 24, 2023
The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, issued an official statement before her official visit to Georgia. According to Baerbock, there are attempts to divert Georgia from the pro-European course.
In the official statement, she also discussed the upcoming official visit to Georgia and said that during the meeting with the Government of Georgia, they will discuss the steps that the country should take to get the candidate status.
Foreign Affairs Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock wrote that Georgia is facing pressures from inside and outside and emphasized that Germany fully supports Georgia's European perspective.
"The European Union is a clear goal for the population of Georgia. During the past weeks, citizens have been waving the EU flag in the streets of Tbilisi to defend pluralism and the rule of law.
During my visit to Georgia, I would like to emphasize the fact that Germany fully supports Georgia's European perspective.
We see efforts aimed at deviating the country from the pro-European course. Also, we see the pressure that the country is facing from the inside and outside.
During the meeting with the government of Georgia, I will talk about the steps that the country should take to get the status of a candidate country for EU membership. In this case, it is not only a matter of protecting democratic standards, but especially of maintaining a free media environment, a dynamic civil society, and public debate based on mutual respect, even when the positions differ sharply from each other.
We are united by European values, and we are sure that we cannot deviate from this path," the statement reads.
