EU Ambassador to Georgia: Georgians Do Not Have to Choose Between Their National Identity and Being European

Georgians do not have to choose between their national identity and their European identity, EU Ambassador to Georgia Paweł Herczyński said during Europe Day celebrations in the eastern Georgian region of Kakheti, reaffirming the European Union’s commitment to supporting the country’s democratic and European future.

Speaking at the event, Herczyński highlighted Georgia’s cultural heritage, traditions and European identity, while warning that recent anti-European rhetoric had damaged relations between Tbilisi and Brussels.

“I am delighted that, for the first time this year, we are celebrating Europe Day in Kakheti. This is a place where Georgia’s free spirit, culture and traditions are particularly deeply felt the very richness that Georgia brings to Europe,” the ambassador said.

Drawing a parallel between the European Union and Georgia’s centuries-old tradition of polyphonic singing, Herczyński described the bloc as a union of independent nations united by shared values.

“The European Union resembles Georgian polyphony. Twenty-seven independent countries form a strong union, just as individual voices come together to create a single melody. We want Georgia’s voice to be heard clearly in Europe’s polyphony,” he said.

The ambassador stressed that the European Union was neither a new nor a foreign concept for Georgia, pointing to nearly eight decades of European integration built on peace, democracy and economic prosperity.

“In a world full of challenges, we have remained an island of peace, democratic development and economic prosperity for almost 80 years. What we have achieved was built through hard work, determination and commitment to shared principles,” Herczyński said.

He added that the EU was committed to sharing those achievements with countries that respect its common rules and values.

Addressing the current state of EU-Georgia relations, the ambassador acknowledged growing tensions but insisted that recent political developments could not erase decades of cooperation.

“The friendship between the European Union and Georgia dates back to Georgia’s independence. Although recent anti-European rhetoric has seriously damaged this close relationship, it cannot undo it,” he said.

“It is impossible to rewrite decades of history in just a few years, let alone erase them from memory. We will continue to support Georgia’s democratic and European future.”

Herczyński also delivered a message on national identity, emphasising that Georgia’s European aspirations did not require the country to abandon its distinctive culture or traditions.

“You do not have to choose between being Georgian and being European. You can be both. You are both,” he declared.

The ambassador, who addressed the audience in Georgian as a gesture of respect, concluded his speech with a traditional Georgian toast inspired by a Georgian proverb:

“Such is the nature of life: night gives way to day. What hatred has destroyed, love has rebuilt.”

“Long live Georgia! Long live Europe! Forward, Georgia, forward!” he said.