Georgian people deserve to return their historical place in the big European family, said the President of Georgia at the press conference with the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda.

“The Georgian people overcame many difficulties and challenges to defend their choice of freedom and European values. This struggle continues today. Not once in the past years, but once again in these days, Georgia and the Georgian people proved their unwavering loyalty to European values. Integration into the European Union is the choice of 80% of the population of Georgia. This choice is supported by the Constitution of Georgia.

Over the past decade, Georgia has made great efforts on the road to European integration. WE have had many successes, although there have been many difficulties and there are still today. Giving Georgia a European perspective in 2022 was a historic decision. This meant that the geographical wall that had been built between us and Europe finally collapsed and the question - whether Georgia belongs to the European family or not no longer exists before us.

This is a very big achievement. Today, obtaining candidate status is our unalternative goal, and I say this as the President of Georgia and as the voice of the entire Georgian nation. Today, Georgian society is consolidated around the idea of EU integration.

Georgia and the Georgian people deserve to return their historical place in the big European family. Georgia should get the EU candidate status. This will be our joint victory. This will be another confirmation of Europe"s strength and unity”, - said Salome Zourabichvili.