Georgia’s Foreign Minister: EU will benefit from bringing Georgia closer

Georgia’s top expert of foreign affairs believes the European Union (EU) will benefit from bringing Georgia closer to Europe.

Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mikheil Janelidze, who is on an official trip to Austria, delivered a speech yesterday at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna about Georgia’s efforts towards EU integration and being granted a visa-free travel regime for Georgia citizens to the Schengen Zone.

His speech was titled European Integration of Georgia: Achievements and challenges of the EU associated partner.

We look forward to the EU’s final decision on lifting visa requirements for the citizens of Georgia. I have to underline very clearly that apart from delivering more benefits to the Georgian people, we truly believe that the EU also stands to benefit from bringing Georgia closer,” Janelidze said. 

The Minister highlighted the importance of Georgia’s integration into EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). 

It is the only way to ensure sustainable development of [our] country. This is why our decision to come closer to the European family is the conscious choice of the Georgian people. We all understand that it is the best way to guarantee democracy, security, peace and prosperity in our country and in the region at large,” Janelidze said.

In his speech Janelidze also spoke about how the bilateral relations between Georgia and Austria had developed "dynamically” over the past few years, and he stressed that the announced opening of an Austrian Embassy to Georgia in autumn will mark "another milestone” in the friendship and close cooperation between the two nations.

The Minister thanked Austria for supporting Georgia and the activities of the Austrian Development Agency - an institution that has carried out a list of projects in areas such as trade, energy, agriculture, environment protection, culture and education – and its continued support for Georgia.

Another part of Janelidze’s speech was dedicated to the difficult situation in Georgia’s occupied territories and Russia’s creeping occupation policy regarding Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions.