Georgian PM: Georgia wants European integration based on dignity and mutual respect

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday expressed optimism that prevailing trends and attitudes would change, stressing that Georgia wanted to join the European Union with dignity and was not a country of “puppets”.

Kobakhidze made the remarks in Brussels while attending the EU Enlargement Summit, organised by Euronews.

The Prime Minister said the European Union needed to adopt a different approach towards Georgia, drawing a comparison with the country’s experience under Soviet rule.

“We were part of the Soviet Union for 70 years. I was young at the time, and this is what used to happen: whatever Moscow said, Georgia had to do. This was not an appropriate approach in a democratic society. Europe needs to adopt a different approach, and we are optimistic that attitudes will change. We are not puppets”, he said.