Michael Roth, a Member of the German Bundestag, addressed the people outside the Georgian Parliament saying “Your place is in the very heart of Europe. That’s why we are here.”
Below is his full remark:
“They criticize us because of interference in internal affairs, interference in the internal affairs of your country. Is it interference to meet your state president, a brave lady, a committed European? She fights with you for a brave and proud future of your country. Is it interference to meet you, the citizens of a proud country fighting for European values, for democracy, and for free and fair elections? It’s not about interference. It’s about a joint future in a united Europe, that’s why we are here. We would like to encourage you. We would like to support and assist you because I know quite well from my Georgian friends you are exhausted. You are frustrated. You are tired. But dear friends, don’t give up. We are with you in solidarity.
I fully agree with the ruling party, which criticized the global war party. Yes, such a global war party exists. And this global war party is not just a threat for you, the proud Georgians. This global war party is also a threat for our Baltic friends, for Germany, for France, for the Nordics, for Spain, for Italy, for Greece, for Romania, for Bulgaria, this global war party is Russia!
If you win, we will win. If you will survive, we in the European Union will survive. That’s why we are here. Solidarity must unite us and not divide us.
So I count on you. Maybe this is my last visit here in Georgia because I’m going to leave politics. I hope I can come back as a friend of Georgia.
In these dark times, I would love to say mission accomplished. Democracy is alive, not because of the ruling party, because of you. But I’m sorry to say in a democracy, in a liberal democracy, we never have to say mission accomplished. It’s a never-ending project. We have to fight. We fight for freedom, justice, democracy, every day. We have to defend democracy and freedom in our universities, in our business, in our family, in politics. That’s why I would like to tell you this story. Don’t give up,” he added.
