Parliament Speaker: EU “should encourage” Georgia's European perspective
Papuashvili also draws parallels to the end of the Cold War and the 2004 enlargement, emphasising the EU must realize that “it is facing another decisive moment” and embrace its responsibility to integrate Georgia into the Union. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
Tweet 
Share
The European Union should encourage Georgia's European perspective, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, said in an article published on Thursday by Euractiv.
In the article, Papuashvili focuses on the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine and Georgia’s western path on, focusing on the 2014 Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia, and the country’s formal EU membership bid.
The war in Ukraine highlights not only Georgia’s security predicament but also the long way the country has come since the 2008 invasion by Russia. While becoming a member state may take time, the EU must send the right signals to an overwhelmingly pro-EU country that has paid a heavy price for its Western aspirations,” Papuashvili writes.
The Georgian official also argues despite the dynamic and evolving cooperation, the EU failed to send clear signals about eventual membership for Georgia, pointing out Georgian public’s support for membership has grown in recent years.
The EU should, therefore, extend the enlargement process not only to Georgia, but also to Ukraine and Moldova. Together, this trio could coordinate reform progress, discuss strategies, and share best practices in ensuring expeditious compliance with the EU acquis,” the Parliament Speaker notes.
Papuashvili also draws parallels to the end of the Cold War and the 2004 enlargement, emphasising the EU must realize that “it is facing another decisive moment” and embrace its responsibility to integrate Georgia into the Union.
Georgia's European Union membership bid and the reforms to bring the country closer to EU legislation were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili and EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders.
NATO “greatly values” its long-standing cooperation with Georgia, Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana tweeted on Tuesday following his meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili.
Georgia not only wants to join the European Union formally, but the membership is a "historic choice" of the country, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said on Thursday in a meeting with Belgium's Speaker of the House of Representatives Eliane Tillieux and the Speaker of the Belgian Senate Stephanie D’Hose.
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova “belong” to the European family, the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola said on Wednesday following her meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili in Brussels.
The prospects of Georgia’s European Union membership bid were discussed on Friday in the 61st meeting of the Government Commission for Georgia's Integration into the EU.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili will pay an official visit to the Republic of Armenia on April 5-6, the Press Service of the legislative body said on Tuesday.
Prospects for bilateral relations and the current developments in the South Caucasus region were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and his Armenian counterpart Alen Simonyan.
Given the challenges in the South Caucasus, it is important that Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan “start talking to each other”, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, said on Tuesday.