PM highlights France's support for country’s EU integration path
The PM also highlighted the country’s “tangible progress” on the EU integration path, in particular the 2014 Association Agreement signed with the bloc, the free trade agreement and the visa-free travel to EU countries. Photo: PM's press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted France's support for the country’s European Union integration path.
In his comments, after a panel discussion at the Paris Peace Forum, Garibashvili emphasised his “good meeting” with the French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday and noted the support of France for the country's European integration path was “undoubtedly very important”.
[I] informed him [Macron] about the current state of affairs in the country, reforms and processes that we all went through together. I also told President Macron that this process [of implementing reforms] does not end and it is a process that must continue. We will continue it. The country is moving to a new stage but the process must continue and we must achieve even more success”, he said.
He congratulated the Georgian citizens on the European Commission’s decision to recommend the European Council to grant the country the membership candidate status, by saying it was a “great success”.
The PM also highlighted the country’s “tangible progress” on the EU integration path, in particular the 2014 Association Agreement signed with the bloc, the free trade agreement and the visa-free travel to EU countries.
“Our ultimate goal, of course, is to open accession talks and then finally join the European Union that, of course, will take years, but we must prepare our country for this”, he concluded.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday hailed Georgian people, “whose commitment to democracy and Europe no longer needs to be proven”.
Georgian Ambassador to France, Gotcha Javakhishvili on Thursday said France’s position on Georgia’s European Union integration was “distinctly positive” over the last few months, noting the country positively evaluated the reforms carried out by the Georgian authorities.
The European Commission’s recommendation for Georgia to be granted the membership candidate status was discussed on Thursday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the French President Emmanuel Macron.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday departed for participation in the Paris Peace Forum set to take place in the French capital between Friday and Saturday.
Four years ago on this day the regulation lifting visa requirements for Georgians to travel to the European Union entered into effect.
Today is one of the most important days for Georgia on its European Union (EU) integration path as the country’s Association Agreement (AA) with the EU is fully and officially coming into force.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday attended a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife as part of the ongoing Paris Peace Forum.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said it was “unlikely” for any European Union member state not to back the European Commission’s decision to recommend the European Council to grant the country the membership candidate status in December.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker, on Saturday said the country’s Government, with the support of Georgian society, was able to attain “irreversible progress” on the road to European integration.
Georgia’s European integration path is clear, which causes “radical opposition’s disappointment as their destabilisation plan has failed”, Gia Volski, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said on Sunday.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday claimed existence of five “myths” about the process and outcome of the country’s application for receiving the European Union membership candidate status.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Saturday discussed the close, friendly relations and fruitful strategic cooperation, based on common European values and interests, with his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné.