Donald Tusk: EU has ambitious plans for Georgia

Georgia is "definitely a front-runner” in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) but the country has many reforms ahead before it receives visa free travel to the European Union (EU).

This was the message voiced by European Council (EC) President Donald Tusk when he held a joint press conference with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili in Tbilisi this evening.

Tusk is in Georgia today as part of his South Caucasus trip. He arrived in Tbilisi late this afternoon following talks in the Armenian capital Yerevan earlier today, before visiting Azerbaijan tomorrow.

This is Tusk’s first visit to Georgia as EC President.

Georgia is a close associated partner of EU & #EaP front-runner pic.twitter.com/HBtw2PlTDX

— Donald Tusk (@eucopresident) July 20, 2015

Comments by Tusk on his official Twitter account. 

"We have strong mutual relations, which are further intensifying,” Tusk said at the press conference.

"Georgia is definitely a front-runner in the EaP. This is not a compliment. This is the fact.”

"Implementation of the Association Agreement, which we began last September, will play the key role in deepening our partnership.”

The EC President said the EU had an ambitious plan regarding Georgia, which he believed Georgia was capable of fulfilling.

"Georgia is currently implementing reforms, which we welcome to but for a visa free travel additional reforms are needed,” he said.

Tusk named corruption, migration, drugs and human trafficking as areas to further work on if Georgia wanted a visa free regime.

"This is our official position and I am sure Georgia is ready for this ambitious agenda,” Tusk said.

He also commented the current tense situation at the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) between Georgia and Georgia’s Russian-occupied region of Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).

Tusk condemned Russia’s illegal actions there and reconfirmed the EU’s full support towards Georgia’s territorial integrity.

The EC President will personally travel to the occupation line tomorrow to see the situation on the ground.

Meanwhile, the Georgian side assessed Tusk’s Georgia visit as a "clear demonstration of the EU’s solidarity with Georgia”.

President Margvelashvili expressed his hope that this visit would fasten the process of Georgia’s integration into the EU.

Tusk will meet more Georgian officials this evening and tomorrow morning before leaving for Baku later on July 21.