- For freedom, for their own choice, for thinking about their culture and geopolitics – he spoke on channel Giorgi Margvelashvili. In connection with the seventh anniversary of the outbreak of the Georgian-Russian war in South Ossetia he talked with him correspondent of Polish Radio Maciej Jastrzebski.
Margwelaszwili explained that Georgia is oriented towards European and Euro-Atlantic community not because he is an enemy of Russia, but because this is her choice. – Some politicians in the Kremlin believe that this freedom of thought, and for that traditionally in Russia punished exemplarily – stressed the President of Georgia.
Maciej Jastrzebski: Mr President, we talk on the seventh anniversary of the Russian-Georgian war. Still, Georgia is divided. There is no control over the two regions, where Russian soldiers stationed in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. How had and have an impact on your country events of August 2008?
Giorgi Margvelashvili: Indeed, these events haunted a whole our nation. And when I speak about the nation, about the citizens of Georgia, I’m talking both about those people who live behind the line of occupation and those who live on the territory of Georgia proper. And the fact that we still do not forget that regular Russian army, including heavy equipment and aircraft, attacked the Georgian territories, it is because – believe me – so she left a painful mark on our past. At the same time it is a process designed to lead to a rupture relationships between people living on different sides of the line of occupation. It happens in the twenty-first century, it looks at the entire international community, and it is happening in Europe.
Maciej Jastrzebski: From this point of view that the president pointed out – like shape on this day in Tbilisi relations with Moscow?
Giorgi Margvelashvili: We must refrain from any action or response to provocations. We should not cause tensions in the already tense situation, but we must make efforts to bring Russian politicians to rational dialogue. In terms of the rationality of dialogue we have carte blanche because in our opinion this situation, from a common sense point of view, in addition to a show willingness to punish the Georgians for Russia has absolutely no meaning. But for Georgia is indeed a tragedy, because the two parts of our country is under occupation.
Maciej Jastrzebski: Mr President, Georgia is for many citizens of Western European countries distant and exotic country. It seems that the Georgians do not feel so far closely connected with Western Europe. The question arises – why Georgia European Union?
Giorgi Margvelashvili: You know, I think that this question often ask Europeans than Georgians. It really is a Georgian choice. Choosing historical, which not only refers to the present. The meaning of the European Union for us is that we as a nation feel connected with the family of nations and the cultural circle. After what the European Union to Georgia? As an economic community for the simple reason that it is the strongest economic community with which to trade without taxes and duties wishes to everyone, including us. The European Union guarantees us to be one part of the political relationship in which we will be able to fulfill one of our most important tasks, the behavior of the Georgian identity and statehood. After all, Georgia is a country with a history dating back 3,000 years. Georgia is a country that for sixteen centuries, boasts a membership of a Christian culture, he adopted Christianity in the fourth century. Finally, Georgia is such a tiny passage, a tiny corridor of freedom, a European corridor, which creates the possibility of cooperation and the Caspian region, and more globally – the Asian region.
Maciej Jastrzebski: Is Georgia in your evaluation is ready for full integration with the European Union?
Giorgi Margvelashvili: We want to be a member of the European Union and we are trying to do everything to make it so. We understand that we have to pass different phases of development. However, I believe that the EU should do more to activate its policy in this direction. We are absolutely ready for rapid and effective integration.
Maciej Jastrzebski: In the same spirit I ask – why Georgia’s NATO?
Giorgi Margvelashvili: Twenty percent of our territory is under occupation. We are a country that for many years: the Balkans, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, and now under the aegis of the European Union, participates in the process of building global stability. Frankly, approaching the next NATO summit, which will take place in Poland, it is very important to us. We are very pleased that it was in Poland because the Poles are one of those countries that most actively promote, lobby for Georgia’s membership in NATO. Poles probably most of the other nations of their region recognize the importance of Georgia’s membership in NATO for stability and security in Europe. Actively preparing for the Summit. We also hope that our activity, and the activity of our partner countries in support of Georgia, will be influenced to take a positive decision for us.
Maciej Jastrzebski: Much is said about the Polish-Georgian friendship, but is actually in your assessment of our peoples combines something special? Is this friendship lasts regardless of the political changes in our countries?
Giorgi Margvelashvili: Georgian-Polish relations date back deep into centuries. But it was only after the collapse of the USSR and the Warsaw Pact, as well as after Poland and Georgia’s independence, there were opportunities for even closer cooperation. If you go on a peak or somewhere I have the opportunity to meet with representatives of the Polish government or even with the Poles, I know that I meet up with friends who fully understand my situation, they support me, thinking about our common future. When I talk with his colleague Pole, I realize that he has already passed this way from the Warsaw Pact to NATO. You see a living person who has passed all stages of the struggle for independence, state-building and fight in these structures, which for him was the choice of the Polish nation. You see, not only a partner, but an ally. So the Polish-Georgian relations in my opinion are great and will only deepen and grow. And on this occasion I would like to greet the new president of Polish Andrzej Duda in connection with the inauguration, and also to wish him personally and the entire Polish nation all the best, every success. Of course also the continuation of our bilateral very fruitful.
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Interview Maciej Jastrzebski
Date of issue: 08/10/2015
Time issue: 8.49
The interview was broadcast in the program “Signals Day”
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