President Zourabichvili:

"Greetings, 

First and foremost, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our guests, the delegation of European parliaments representing eight countries. They have been loyal friends of Georgia, supporting our statehood and our European journey from the outset. If we were granted candidate status last December, it is due to the trust our friends placed in us, awarding us this status. This trust was a monumental step for Georgia. Reflecting on where we were then and where we stand now fills me with a deep sense of loss. This opportunity, though seemingly lost, remains within our grasp, awaiting us to reclaim it alongside our friends. Their arrival in our country today, as Georgia faces a profound political crisis, is yet another sign of European support; Europe is not abandoning us and still believes in Georgia, and in the European spirit of our people. Over the last 33 years, the public has consistently and unequivocally expressed its stance. Whenever European principles or the hope for a European future were in doubt, Georgia's citizens have stood up. Many say that over these 30 years, they have spent much of their lives on the streets, continually protesting any government deviations from democratic principles.This is a country where society is fundamentally European and democratic; however, it is unfortunate that we do not have a democratic government. Instead, we have a one-party administration that has effectively taken control of every institution, and the results of the recent elections reflect this - it was an election controlled and manipulated by one party.This is why we are now facing a crisis. Judging by statements from the head of the Central Election Commission, it is clear what decision they will make; there can be no surprises here. The crisis is apparent. Our friends are here to join us in seeking out ways to help Georgia emerge from this crisis. We will overcome it, and eventually, we will return to fair elections so that Georgia can establish a legitimate parliament, a legitimate government, and, when the time comes, a legitimate new president. This is our path - a path toward stability, democracy, and Europe. For Georgia, there is no alternative path, and our friends here with us today are deeply committed to this vision.Thank you very much!"

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of German Bundestag Michael Roth:

"Madam President,

Good morning to everybody. We are extremely delighted to be here again to enjoy your hospitality and I would like to start with a personal remark because we have to take into account that the ruling party wants to undermine our credibility. So, let me be very clear, we represent different political parties, we have very different political backgrounds and ideological backgrounds. We represent eight nation-states, but we all belong to Europe, we all belong to the EU. We are here as friends of the Georgian people, we are not here as enemies, we are not here to promote a regime change. I know, sometimes it is hard when friends bother you, but we are obliged to do this, because interventions for us, as EU member states, are the normality. My distinguished colleagues from other EU member states intervene when things in Germany happen. We discuss the future of our member states, we exchange our views, if it comes to the outcome of presidential elections, parliamentary elections, that is why we are committed Europeans, we are one family and family always means diversity. So, again we are here in solidarity with the vast majority of Georgians who aspire to join the EU and believe in the values of democracy and fair and free elections.

We are senior parliamentarians from eight different EU member states, from different political families. And a little reminder: the ruling party belonged to my own party family-the Social-Democratic Party of Europe. But for different reasons, we suspended the membership. We are here because we are extremely concerned over the recent elections and the anti-democratic policies of the current Georgian government. The recent elections in Georgia were not free nor fair.

In most polling stations, ballot secrecy was not guaranteed. Widespread vote buying, voter intimidation, and threats against opposition members and their supporters have undermined the democratic process. Raising serious concerns about the legitimacy of the results.

This has been established by the International Election Observation Mission and by independent Georgian media and civil society organizations. We fully support President Macron's, Prime Minister Tusk's, and Chancellor Scholz's call for an independent investigation in these serious allegations. If an independent Georgian investigation can't be ensured, international bodies such as the Council of Europe, OSCE and the EU must step in.

Without clarification of these allegations, the EU can't recognize these elections as legitimate. If these allegations are not independently investigated, we will call for individual sanctions against those responsible for election manipulation and voter intimidation. Democracy and accountability must go hand in hand and those undermining these principles must face consequences.

And yes, we have to discuss about all the tools, also about the suspension of the free visa regime. I know this is an extremely important achievement, not just for you, but also for us. But at the end, it's a serious situation and we have to put all instruments we have on the table.

We stand firmly with the Georgian people in their commitment to European values of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. However, if the current government continues its anti-European trajectory, fails to repeal laws like the Russian agent law, and persists in undermining EU principles, Georgia's progress toward EU membership will remain stalled. The Georgian policies are incompatible with EU membership.

So, if your government tells you that on one hand, the people in your country are in favor of putting pressure on civil society or sexual minorities, and on the other hand, the government shares the aspiration towards the EU, it's not the truth. And we are here to start a frank but also constructive dialogue, not just with the President, also with NGOs, the civil society and the opposition. Unfortunately, the ruling party and the government was not willing to receive us.

That's a pity, that's a pity because dialogue matters. If we don't agree, if we disagree, we should come together and to share our different point of views. That's the essence of Europe.

That's why we are here, thank you."