Press statement by President Jean-Claude Juncker with Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, in front of the EU stand on the day of celebration of the 100th anniversary of Georgia's First Democratic Republic

Dear Giorgi,

I am delighted to see the European Union playing such a full and visible role on this very special day for Georgia.

I am very proud that the Prime Minister was and is visiting our stand – this is the stand of the European Union and it is good to have him with us. We have come a long way together in a relatively short period of time. I thank him for his European spirit and for always having the courage of his convictions, which does not happen so often in Europe.

Georgia is a country close to my heart, close to the heart of Europeans, because we are friends and partners, linked by our history and by our geography.

Many other European countries are celebrating their 100 years of independence these days and I am particularly proud and happy to be here today because this is a very special day for Georgia.

I promised the Prime Minister years ago that Europe will always be on the side of Georgia. The more you reform, the more support we will give to you, our friends.

I am delighted that today I can announce an extra EUR 40 million worth of funds for this year’s bilateral allocation. This brings to EUR 597 million the total of our financial support for Georgia from 2014 to 2018.

And on top of that, we have the possibility to announce a fresh macro-financial assistance worth EUR 45 million.

According to a promise I made to the Prime Minister, we have liberalised the visa regime. Since March 2017 more than 253,000 Georgians have travelled to Europe, and I would like to invite all of those who are here and who never dare to go there, because it is worth being visited.

We are launching in a few months from now a European School here in the city.

And we have agreed, the Prime Minister and myself, to have an annual meeting between the Georgian Government and the Commission. We are not doing this with each and every country but I would like this to happen year after year.

Thank you.

Speech by President Jean-Claude Juncker at the ceremony of celebration of the 100th anniversary of Georgia’s First Democratic Republic

Mister President,

Mister Prime Minister,

Mister Speaker,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends,

It is a great honour indeed to be with you here today on this very emotional occasion. Today’s centenary Independence Day is a historic moment for your great European nation.

The journey has not always been easy. The road to freedom never is.

But Georgia is a proud country, built on the courage and the ambition of its people.

In the last century, you took your future in your own hands. You chose hope over fear. And you never stopped fighting for your independence and your freedom until it was firmly restored.

As I stand here today, there can be no greater tribute than to say that a century on, Georgia has more than lived up to the spirit of 26 May 1918.

While the history of the Georgian people goes back millennia, that day, a century ago, modern Georgia was born.

A country built from the moment of its independence on the principles of democracy, equality and respect for human rights – values on which Europe is based today. These are not just words, these are not just aspirations. For all of us, these are enduring commitments. Through thick and thin, through conflict and pain, the Georgian have always stayed true to these values, making you what you are.

I think of the fierce fighting and the long resistance to Soviet occupation and the efforts to strengthen your democracy.

This is the way you have honoured the spirit of 1918, this is what defines you as a country. And it is what makes our association and partnership such a natural one.

Georgia is a country that has always been part of Europe and has always looked towards Europe.

We are linked by history and by geography. Our fates and our destinies have long been intertwined.

But I want this special occasion to be the start of the next chapter in our common story.

I have always argued that the European Union must send a message of hope to Georgia and especially to its youth.

So I want us to break down more of the barriers that still exist between us, and step up our support to each other, building on the progress we have already achieved.

I am delighted that more than a quarter of a million Georgians have already visited Europe without a visa since March of last year. I hope many more will visit us soon.

I also hope that many more will join the thousands of Georgian teachers and students that have come to Europe to study or teach thanks to the Erasmus+ programme. I look forward to the first students being welcomed at the new European School in this city this September.

Georgia and the European Union always stand up for each other. We will always support Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. And standing in front of your brave soldiers, I also want to thank you for Georgia’s invaluable role in EU peace-keeping operations, serving noble causes.

Long live Georgia, love live Europe! May they live together forever.

Thank you.

Speech by President Jean-Claude Juncker at the ceremony of celebration of the 100th anniversary of Georgia's First Democratic Republic