US Ambassador: Georgia’s EU membership a “whole of society” process that needs to involve everybody

Kelly Degnan, the United States Ambassador to Georgia, on Saturday said the country’s European Union membership was a process that needed to involve the entire society.

Degnan said Georgia’s EU application - signed in March to kick-start the formal process - was an “incredible opportunity” for Georgia, adding it was “important” for the public to take it “very seriously”.

This is an incredible opportunity for Georgia as well, and it’s important that everyone takes it very seriously because this is a whole of society process. Everyone needs to be involved in helping Georgia to meet the requirements for European Union membership,” Degnan said.

She also noted the process meant Georgia had a chance to demonstrate it was “willing” to push the reforms and legislative changes required to meet EU standards and legislation.

Georgia has already made a lot of progress in that respect. There is a long way to go, as I said, not only the Government, and Parliament, but everybody in society is part of the process of getting Georgia to your candidacy status,” the diplomat noted.

On March 11, the European Council invited the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, to submit its opinions on the EU membership applications of Moldova and Georgia.

Georgia officially applied for membership on March 3, with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili signing the country’s application.