Parliament EU Integration Committee Chair: Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova deserve EU membership
Botchorishvili underlined the three countries were “European states” that shared “European values,” and represented a part of “European culture and history”. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday said Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova “deserved” to become members of the European Union.
Botchorishvili underlined the three countries were “European states” that shared “European values,” and represented a part of “European culture and history”.
The Parliament official also noted granting Georgia an EU candidate status would be a “political decision” made by 27 member states, adding the move would be “based on the interests” of the European Union.
Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova deserve European Union membership. [They] are European states, share European values and are part of European culture and history. All three countries have repeatedly stated their will to be part of the European Union,” the Committee Chair noted in an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcasting.
She also added the European Union “needed to open” European prospects to the Associated Trio states “today for the sake of its own security and future,” however she added there were also “other considerations and more cautious approaches” to the question issue within the Union.
I expect that European leaders will rightly assess the importance of opening up European prospects for Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, to make it clear that when all three countries meet the criteria for EU membership, they will become members of the EU,” Botchorishvili concluded.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the European Union had "no reason to reject" Georgia's application for membership, "especially" if it granted candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday accused opposition MPs of “feeding” the groups lobbying within the European Union against Georgia being granted a member status with their “negative statements”.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday said there were “forces among European Union member states” that were against a further enlargement of the bloc and therefore not in favour of Georgia’s membership prospects.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee and Levan Karumidze, the First Deputy Chair of the body, on Friday discussed the country’s bid for EU membership and progress in European integration with German officials in Berlin.
The United National Movement opposition party and its Western lobbyists, specifically the European People's Party, are "trying their best" to prevent Georgia from obtaining the European Union membership candidate status, Thea Tsulukiani, the Georgian Vice Prime Minister and Culture Minister, said on Wednesday.
The Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said the European Union should demonstrate a “long-term interest” in the Black Sea region by granting membership candidate status to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Friday said the country had made “significant progress” on its European integration path and expressed hope the European Union would make the “correct decision” and grant it the EU member candidate status.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said “all the crimes committed” by the United National Movement opposition party during their time in power were “secondary” to the European People's Party.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said Georgia had “unquestionably” deserved the European Union membership candidate status, pointing out the country was “ahead” of Ukraine and Moldova in “all parameters” in terms of EU integration.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday discussed the country’s bid for EU membership with members of the Dutch Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee as part of her working visit to the Netherlands.
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said the European Union could confirm its “long-term interest in our region” by granting the membership candidate status to Georgia.
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Wednesday said providing support for Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and countries in the South Caucasus was “more important than ever,” vowing the EU would continue strengthening ties with the partnering states.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday highlighted “successful reforms” implemented under the European Union-Georgia Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, at the EU-Georgia Business Forum in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.
Maka Botchorishvili, the chair of the Georgian parliament's European Union integration committee, on Sunday reviewed the importance of eastward expansion of the European Union for both Georgia and Europe, the process of the country's integration into the bloc and the “historic importance” of the EU granting Georgia a European perspective, at the Salzburg Europe Summit.
Maka Botchorishvili, the chair of the Georgian parliament's European Union integration committee, on Monday highlighted the Austrian government’s support for Georgia's European Union integration process.