Parliament Speaker: EU can confirm “long-term interest in our region” by granting membership candidate status to Georgia

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.

Papuashvili, who addressed the Parliament with an annual report on the activities of the legislative body, stressed Georgia was in a “historic process” with its EU membership bid, welcoming the Union’s decision to consider the applications of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine “in a short time.”

We are currently waiting for the EU decision [on the membership bid] and are actively working with its member states to mobilise political support,” the head of the Georgian legislative body noted.

He also stressed that given Georgia's “experience in implementing reforms,” the Government expected the EU to respond “positively” to the integration efforts of the state and the “strong will of our people” for EU membership.

The European Union can confirm a long-term interest in our region and limit the opportunities of the forces malevolent to Georgia by granting the membership candidate status,” Papuashvili concluded.