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. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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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.
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.
Georgia has made its move and now it is the time for the European Union to grant membership candidate status to the country without delay, given the current geopolitical pressures, Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said on Tuesday in a letter addressed to Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday expressed his belief the European Union would make a “reasonable, wise and fair” decision on the membership candidate status of Georgia.
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.
Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said the Russian military aggression against Ukraine was “of particular concern,” pointing out Georgia’s Government “strongly” supported Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday marked the 8th anniversary since the signing of Georgia’s Association Agreement with the European Union, calling it “successful in unleashing the potential of Europeanisation" of Georgia.
The Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the demand of the domestic opposition for formation of a technical Government was “nothing but a desire to seize power by bypassing democratic procedures”.