Parliament Committee Chair: Georgia moving closer to EU “despite challenges”
Botchorishvili called on the representatives of EU member states to support Georgia’s integration and noted there was “solid ground” for a positive decision by the European Council next month on granting the country the status. Photo: Georgian Parliament
Tweet 
Share
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said the country was moving closer to the European Union by implementing reforms for integration “despite many challenges”.
In her remarks addressing the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union in Madrid, Botchorishvili highlighted the importance of granting Georgia the bloc’s membership candidate status, and progress achieved by the country on its European integration path.
Since last June, when Georgia was granted a European perspective, we have done a lot to implement the recommendations of the European Union [outlined for membership candidate status]. Despite many challenges, we kept moving forward with the reforms needed to bring Georgia closer to the EU. As a result, based on the most recent enlargement report, the European Commission has recommended granting the EU candidate status to Georgia”, Botchorishvili said.
She called on the representatives of EU member states to support Georgia’s integration and noted there was “solid ground” for a positive decision by the European Council next month on granting the country the status.
Vast majority of Georgians, who believe Europe is their home, are waiting for this historic decision, which is important both for Georgia and the EU, as it should pave the way for significant geopolitical change, necessary for our common European future”, the Committee Chair added.
Botchorishvili is a part of the Georgian parliamentary delegation involved in the event at the invitation of the Spanish Parliament, with the Conference aiming to discuss the agenda of the Spanish Presidency of the EU and other important matters for the bloc including migration, energy crisis and current state in Ukraine.
It involves officials from 27 EU member states and candidate countries, with the meetings scheduled to end today.
The Georgian Government on Monday approved an action plan for fulfilling the priorities set out by the European Commission in its recommendation for the country to be granted the European Union membership candidate status.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said Bulgaria supported the country’s European integration and believed the “mistake” of the European Commission not granting the country the European Union candidate status in 2022 “should be corrected”.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said the country’s achievements deserved “a favourable decision” from the European Union and stressed granting Georgia the candidate status was “the only course of action”.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said her participation at the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for European Union Affairs in Madrid had demonstrated the issue of Georgia was on the agenda of EU member states “even more actively” than last year.
Robin Dunnigan, the Ambassador of the United States to Georgia, on Tuesday said she hoped the European Council would make a favourable decision on Georgia’s European Union membership candidate status in December.
Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata, the Italian Senator and former Foreign Minister, on Tuesday said Georgia “has achieved impressive progress”, which was also recognised by the European Commission.
The Conference of the European Affairs Committees of the National Parliaments of the European Union on Tuesday endorsed the granting of the bloc’s membership candidate status to Georgia.
Georgia’s European Union integration was discussed on Wednesday by Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, and Matthieu Combe, the Head of the Caucasus and Central Asia Department of French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, as well as Benoit Lerosey, the Head of the EU Foreign Relations Department of the Ministry.
Andrius Kalindra, the Lithuanian Ambassador to Georgia, on Monday said he hoped European Union member states would reach a consensus on granting the country the membership candidate status this month.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said Hungary was “firmly” supporting the country’s European integration and had voiced “important positions” around the subject.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said the Hungarian Parliament had voiced its message of “strong” support of Georgia’s European Union integration.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Monday highlighted the “strategic importance” of the European Union enlargement at the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the EU Chairpersons held in Namur, Belgium.