PM hails “historic decision” by European Commission to grant country “European prospective”
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hailed the “historic decision” by the European Commission to grant the country “European prospective” in the process of its European Union membership application. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hailed the “historic decision” by the European Commission to grant the country “European prospective” in the process of its European Union membership application.
On June 17, the European Commission made a historic decision. For the first time, a historic record that the European Commission has recommended the European Council to grant Georgia the prospect of becoming a member of the European Union has been made”, he noted during a cabinet meeting.
As the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, Europe has opened its doors to Georgia - it is truly a historic decision”, the Government head stressed.
The recommendations by the Commission that Georgia must implement are already on the Government's agenda, Garibashvili said, adding there were “other issues” on which work with Brussels would continue to ensure the country would obtain the membership candidate status.
He also noted the granting of the candidate status to Moldova and Ukraine, pointing out Ukraine’s position of being amid a “hardest war” and Moldova’s “very difficult situation” in bordering the former.
At the same time, they [Ukraine and Moldova] are being asked to carry out a number of reforms. In our case, on the contrary, we must first fulfil all the conditions that have been made, implement these reforms, implement priorities, and of course, after this Georgia will be granted the candidate status”, the Prime Minister said.
We are well aware that Ukraine is in the worst situation, with 20 percent of the territories already lost and the war [with Russia] continuing. Moldova is also in a very difficult situation - [...] Moldova was one of the first [countries to be affected by the conflict], because it is a bordering state and there [was a major flow] of refugees. Both economic and security risks have increased in Moldova [as a result of the war]”, he concluded.
The European Commission on Friday recommended the European Council to grant Georgia “European prospective” before assessing how the country meets a number of conditions for receiving the European Union membership candidate status.
Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on Friday welcomed the decision of the European Commission on granting Georgia “European perspective” as a “beacon” on the “arduous road” to European integration of the country.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday said the European Commission had formally confirmed “for the first time” that the prospect of Georgia's accession to the European Union was an “irreversible reality” and that the country would “definitely” become a member of the EU.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on Friday noted the “historic” event of European Union bodies granting the three countries “European perspectives” in their membership bids.
The European Commission on Friday recommended the European Council to grant Georgia “European prospective” before assessing how the country meets a number of conditions for receiving the European Union membership candidate status.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday credited the ruling Georgian Dream party and the former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili with “all tangible achievements” on Georgia's European integration path.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the Georgian Government would be “properly prepared” to report on its reform progress to the European Commission by the end of the year.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday pledged the Government would implement all recommendations of the European Commission on Georgia’s European Union bid.
The European Union's view on the membership applications of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia is a “very important step”, Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative, said on Monday ahead of a meeting of the bloc’s ministerial.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said if the European Commission had adopted a “merit-based approach” in its decision on Georgia’s membership bid, the country would have been “the first” to receive the candidate status for European Union membership.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said his Government’s policy involved restoring territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) through peaceful negotiations.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said the country’s membership in NATO was the “determination” of the Georgian Government and pointed out the country’s “very close” cooperation with the alliance.
The European Union on Monday published an evaluation on the effectiveness and impact of the bloc’s cooperation with Georgia between 2014-2020, with the document noting the partnership “has been strategically sound and has benefitted from a strong institutional setup in its design and implementation”.