Georgian President Salomé Zourabichvili: ‘We are on the West’s side’

<p>Europe’s recommendation to grant Georgia candidate status for EU membership is “a very major step” that is goading the country’s political leaders to coalesce around a “new consensus” in favour of a European future, Georgian President Salomé Zourabichvili told FRANCE 24. </p> <p>“Georgian political leaders have started again to talk a very pro-European language, which for some time they had subdued in some ways,” said the French-born Zourabichvili, who was elected to <a target="_self" href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/georgia/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Georgia</a>’s largely ceremonial presidency in 2018 with the backing of the now-ruling Georgian Dream party. Last month, Georgian Dream led an unsuccessful effort in Georgia’s parliament to oust Zourabichvili in the country’s first-ever <a target="_self" href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/impeachment/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">impeachment</a> vote. The party’s leader accused her of violating the <a target="_self" href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/constitution/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">constitution</a> by visiting <a target="_self" href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/europe/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Europe</a> to lobby support for <a target="_self" href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/european-union/">EU</a> membership without first seeking the government’s consent. </p><h2>A pro-Russia prime minister? </h2><p>In a speech to parliament, more than a year and a half after <a target="_self" href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/russia/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Russia</a>’s full-fledged invasion of <a target="_self" href="https://www.france24.com/en/tag/ukraine/" class="gtm-add-suggested-tag">Ukraine</a>, Zourabichvili criticised what she saw as her government’s pro-Russian leanings. She suggested that Georgian Dream was sabotaging the country’s EU aspirations, even as it paid lip service to Europe. Georgia’s prime minister, Irakli Garibashvili, has refused to impose national sanctions on Russia. He suggested that <a target="