Parliament Vice Speaker: Georgia “deserves to receive” EU candidate status

Georgia “deserves to receive” the  European Union membership candidate status and the expectations of the Georgian citizens “must be met,” Levan Ioseliani, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament and a member of the opposition Citizens Party, said on Monday.

Ioseliani said he believed the country deserved a positive decision on the status from the European Commission due to its loyalty to the European integration aspirations and the conflicts endured by the country with Russia over the past three decades as a result of it.

Ioseliani also cited the “attitude of Georgian citizens” toward the EU among the bases for a positive decision on the country’s application.

The Georgian MP also said he had “no information” about negative attitudes toward the prospect of the country receiving candidate status among the domestic political opposition - a claim made by representatives of the ruling party - adding opposition parties had signed a joint letter to EU officials calling for a positive outcome of the deliberations.