We're not going anywhere. We are where we are and we are in Europe. We are Europe, - this is how the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, answered the journalist's question - "Is Georgia going to the European Union, or anywhere else?"

According to Papuashvili, the country does not need to move in any direction, but we need to develop both economically and institutionally.

"First of all, it should be said, we are not going anywhere, we are where we are and we are in Europe. We are Europe. This is the main thing that sometimes they want us to forget. We are not only Europe today, we are among the co-creators of European culture, civilization and legal development. Look at our first republic of 1918-21 and see what democratic achievements our first republic had. Therefore, we do not need to move in any direction, but we need to develop, both economically and institutionally.

Of course, when we talk about the fact that we are co-creators of Europe, this means, among other things, that the European Union is the natural body that should ultimately accept us as its member," Papuashvili said.

In addition, he answered a question whether Georgia's path to the European Union will be blocked if the draft law on "transparency of foreign influence" is passed.

"They also told us that if you did not release Saakashvili, it would block the path, it would be a "red line". We were told, and by the way, some are still telling us that if we don't impose sanctions on Russia, this will be a "red line", but we saw that Saakashvili is in prison, sanctions have not been imposed, and we were still given the candidate status. We are talking about the European Union, which is a union of equals”, he said.

He also answered a question whether he shares the slogan: "Yes to Europe, no to Russia."

"Of course. Look, how can we talk about sharing or not sharing, when the Georgian Dream is the force that wrote this responsibility and obligation of the government into the constitution. Georgian Dream is the political force during which all the successes related to the European Union have been achieved, absolutely everything," Papuashvili said.

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