NATO ex-Sec-Gen Rasmussen says Georgia has fulfilled criteria for NATO membership
Former Secretary General of NATO Anders Fog Rasmussen has spoken about the importance of the October 31 elections in Georgia. Photo: Defence Ministry press office.
Tweet 
Share
Former Secretary General of NATO Anders Fog Rasmussen says that Georgia has already fulfilled the criteria for NATO membership.
Military standards are very high, compatible with NATO standards and a lot has been done in the civilian sector to live up to NATO standards,” Rasmussen said during a recent video press conference on the launch of the Pledge for Election Integrity in Georgia, an initiative of the Transatlantic Commission.
LIVE: @AndersFoghR: “To organize free and fair elections- that is the prerequisite for joining NATO. This will not be judged upon the degree of foreign interference but the will of Georgia to counter foreign interference." #DefendDemocracy
— Alliance of Democracies (@AoDemocracies) September 30, 2020
We should not give Russia the right to veto Georgia's decision to apply either for the EU or NATO membership. It is for Georgians to decide that. And it is for Tbilisi and Brussels to decide the way forward for Georgia and not for the Kremlin,” Rasmussen said.
He stated that ‘we would not give Russia a weapon to block Georgia’s way to the EU or NATO through interfering or trying to interfere in Georgian elections.’
Rasmussen stressed the government’s ‘will and capability’ to counter the interference.