Romanian FM: Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova “belong to European Union”

Bogdan Aurescu, Romania's Foreign Minister, on Monday said Romania was “one of the biggest supporters” of Georgia's European integration, and pointed out the country “belonged” to the European Union along with Ukraine and Moldova.

We [Romania] have been supporting Georgia for a long time, including during the preparation of the [EU] questionnaire. We believe that Georgia's place, as well as that of Ukraine and Moldova, is in the European Union, because they belong to the European family,” the top Romanian diplomat told the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

The Minister noted granting the EU candidate status to the three countries was “important” because it would mark the beginning of a “very important process”, and the three Associated Trio countries needed a “road map for reforms.”

On May 10, Ilia Darchiashvili, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, expressed his hope that the country’s progress on the path of EU integration would be “properly” assessed by its European partners. 

Darchiashvili noted the handover of the second completed part of Georgia's EU membership questionnaire to European authorities marked the completion of an “important process” that would lead to discussions on granting EU candidate status to Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.