The conference dedicated to the 10 year anniversary of the Eastern Partnership is being held in Georgia today. Dear guests, who have arrived to our country of Georgia - a country that has stood strong against Russian occupation for 200 years, a country that is a role model for all other countries in the region! Georgia is also the country that has proven that progressive and exemplary reforms can be carried out without taking Russian interests into account! It is our country’s aspiration to become much more than a regular state in Eastern Europe!

Today, our country is the target of aggressive rhetoric and economic sanctions from the Russian Government and President Putin. Moreover, President Putin is personally falsifying the history of Georgia. Through the distortion of facts and a false narrative, he is trying to recreate the traumatic past that will it impossible to establish peace and restore trust in the region.

This is their response to the anti-occupation demonstrations organized by students in Georgia. This is their response to the fact that there is a free generation in Georgia, which were born in an independent country and their only aspiration is to bring the country into its European and Euroatlantic family.

Unfortunately, our Government has been unable to give an adequate response to this rhetoric. Moreover, they are inciting panic in the country through their inactivity and confusion and are trying to leave an impression that our country will not survive without strong economic links with Russia.

In this situation is imperative for you to give a strict response to Putin’s imperialistic rhetoric! Your support is important for all citizens of Georgia! We are a brave and proud nation! We know the price of freedom and that is why we always fight to protect it!

Standing by our side today means standing on the side of Europe and European values!

Transparency International Georgia

Atlantic Council of Georgia

Georgian Democracy Initiative

Society and Banks

UN Association of Georgia

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information

Georgian Farmers Association

Green Alternative

Liberal Academy Tbilisi

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy

The Economic Policy Research Center