My term as the Co-Secretary of the European Greens coincided with the period when the Green Movement was going through a significant renewal. On one hand, new relationships were emerging with the Green parties of Eastern Europe and, at the same time, the Coordination of the European Green Parties was transforming itself into an entirely new body – the Federation of European Greens.
The Green Party of Georgia was one of the first among the Eastern European countries to become a full member of the European Green Coordination. Shortly thereafter, during the Dublin meeting, I was elected as a Co-Secretary of the Coordination.
The period of my active involvement in the European Green movement is rich in unforgettable experiences and memories. However, what always impressed me most during all those years was the interest, attentiveness and understanding that everyone showed towards the problems of a country that at that very time was struggling for its independence and whose political agenda was very different from the ones in Western Europe. The spirit of solidarity towards the Eastern European nations in the difficult period of the disintegration of the Soviet Union found its culmination during the European Green Parliamentarians’ Meeting in Stockholm, in January 1990, where the Green Movement became the first European political body that publicly voiced its support for the independence of Georgia.
During my office as the Co-Secretary of the Green Coordination, I travelled to many countries of Eastern Europe, meeting and supporting local Green Parties. This was an experience that transcended the boundaries of simple official inter-party relations. Throughout the vast space, from the Baltic Countries to the South Caucasus, each individual National Green Party clearly understood that their affiliation in the Federation was above all a membership to one political family and a unique source for inspiration and exchange of experiences.
After my activities in the European Greens, I continued my political career as the leader of the majority party in Georgia. Having served as the Chairman of the Parliament for six years and now as the leader of the opposition, I came to know and be acquainted with many different political families, organisations and leaders. However, I cannot but say that my most sincere and trusted friends remain those very people of the Green Group in the European Parliament and the Green Federation with whom I had worked so intensely ten years ago. This is the political body where I have felt warmth, attention and support, as in no other political organisation throughout my career.
