Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has addressed the inaugural summit of the Crimea Platform, a Ukrainian diplomatic initiative aimed at strengthening international coordination efforts against Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

Speaking about Russia’s “deliberate” policies directed at “undermining the peace processes” and “destabilizing the security situation on the ground,” the Prime Minister said “the West is bound to come face-to-face with ever-increasing sources of destabilization without resolving the conflicts in the region.”

He stressed Georgia’s commitments to peaceful resolution of conflicts, while also “pursuing unequivocal consolidation of democratic reforms, sustainable economic development, along with the European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”

Vice-chair of the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee Rasa Jukneviciene and Chair of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly Andrius Kubilius explain why the Crimea Platform is important for Associated Trio”(Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine).

“The Crimean Platform helps to keep the question of ongoing illegal occupation in the European continent in focus of the international community. Georgia is also suffering of such aggression of the Kremlin, so it is natural that Georgia is represented in this platform. United efforts are needed to counteract the narratives that the occupations are the new “normality”, MEP Andrius Kubilius told the Accent.

According to Rasa Jukneviciene, Russian occupation of Ukrainian, Moldovan and Georgian territories is the continuation of the Molotov doctrine.

As she told the Accent, the Euro -Atlantic membership of those countries is the only fundamental way to counteract the ongoing efforts to divide Europe.

“The EU is a union of values, not only interests. EU Membership is not only about socio-economic development and benefits of freedom of movement, but also about strong democratic institutions, free and fair elections, and the rule of law. I believe in Georgians and their willingness to find a way for a robust political dialogue among all political forces which sincerely support Georgia’s Euro -Atlantic aspirations.

August 23, the date the Crimean Platform was launched, is historically symbolic. It is the day when in 1939 Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Germany have signed secret protocols on how occupied Europe will be divided between the two tyrants. Russian occupation of Ukrainian, Moldovan and Georgian territories is the continuation of the Molotov doctrine. Ukrainians in Donbas are indeed fighting also for our freedom. It is the moral duty for all freedom loving people and countries to support Ukraine’s, Georgia’s and Moldova’s territorial integrity and their strive for NATO and EU Membership. The Euro -Atlantic membership of those countries is the only fundamental way to counteract the ongoing efforts to divide Europe,” she told the Accent.

MEP Kubilius emphasized the importance of the EU Associated Trio format:

“This format is beneficial to all three countries on their path towards the EU. It can help create a stronger message, bigger visibility and leverage on EU policy towards most advanced EaP countries.” However, he added that “a lot will depend on ability of the three countries to formulate clear initiatives and ideas, and on real progress in reforms.”

“Important to note, that on the EU side, the progress is assessed individually for each country, and all aspects of the Association Agreements are taken into account in the assessment, i.e. also the situation with democracy, rule of law and human rights,” MEP Kubilius said.