H.E. Mr. George Zurabashvili:

I thank Deputy Haughey for voicing his support for Georgian EU integration. I am grateful not just to the Deputy, but to the committee members, the Oireachtas, the Government, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish people. This is what we need. It is exactly how we see ourselves as future members of the EU. There is 86% support for EU membership. Why is that the case? It is because we see the EU as a values-based institution. That is most important. We share the same values as the EU. We share exactly the same approach to the values. Nature is never static; it is always dynamic.

If the enlargement of the EU and its values does not happen in the future, it will shrink. We believe the enlargement of the EU will strengthen the EU itself. It will not only be good for us, but it will be good for the EU as it is, as an institution that carries the fundamental values of democracy and freedom. It is the biggest point of stability. We can see that the most stable countries are those where those values are achieved well. These values will be achieved well once Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine become members of the EU.

We are more than sure, and I strongly believe, that the threat coming from the east will not exist any more because we will be able to resist as a strong democratic country with a strong economy. I again thank the Deputy for the support.