Ivanishvili and Georgia's EU membership are incompatible - Irakli Kupradze
According to Irakli Kupradze, one of the leaders of "Lelo - Strong Georgia", Bidzina Ivanishvili and Georgia's EU integration are incompatible, because, in his opinion, the ruling team's policy contradicts the democratic values of the European Union.
According to Kupradze, Ivanishvili is depriving Georgian citizens of the social and economic benefits that they will receive as a result of European integration, including higher pensions, better healthcare, education and higher salaries.
According to him, the government periodically tries to test the acceptance of anti-European messages in society, and the statement of the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, regarding the prospect of EU membership contradicts the Constitution of Georgia.
“The statement of the so-called Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Papuashvili, when he says that Georgia may not even join the European Union is unconstitutional. The Parliament should be the main defender of the Constitution of Georgia, but Papuashvili does not care about either the Constitution or the Georgian people. He is only interested in how to please Ivanishvili and fulfill Russia’s interests, because only Russia does not want Georgia to join the European Union,” said Irakli Kupradze.
For your information, according to the statement of the Speaker of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, staying outside the European Union may be more beneficial for a small state in certain cases, since it retains the freedom to make independent decisions. According to him, “the political charm and fundamental motivation of membership are disappearing,” and candidate countries are offered not equal membership in the existing European Union, but membership in a previously modified system, where they are fully obligated, but have limited rights and leverage. According to Papuashvili, “it is becoming increasingly clear that no one is considering accepting new members into the European Union that exists today.”