Georgian FM on "European perspective" status:
Georgia has received “guaranteed promise” to become EU member
The FM made the comment at a press briefing after his meeting with Péter Szijjártó, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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By having been granted the "European perspective" by European Union bodies, Georgia has received "a guaranteed promise" that it will "definitely become" a member of the EU, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili said on Friday.
The FM made the comment at a press briefing after his meeting with Péter Szijjártó, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.
This is a recognition of the progress made over the years, and of the special level of relations and integration that currently exists between Georgia and the European Union", Darchiashvili said.
The Foreign Minister said Georgia's future was in the European Union while acknowledging the path to membership was going to be "difficult and long".
It is our firm determination to go through [this path] with our European partners. Your experience, support and assistance are vital", Darchiashvili said.
Darchiashvili thanked EU leaders for recognising the "historic and civilisational choices" of the Georgian people and stated his Government was continuing to pursue an “ambitious agenda” of EU integration, including through the implementation of relevant reforms.
The European Union’s decision of not granting the membership candidate status to Georgia “contradicts the tasks of strengthening” the bloc, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday in a press briefing with his Georgian counterpart Ilia Darchiasvhili in Tbilisi.
The Georgian Government will continue to pursue an “ambitious” reform agenda together with the European Union to ensure the country’s eventual integration into the bloc, the Georgian foreign office said on Friday following the decision of the European Council to recognise the country’s European perspective for membership.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted a “historic” day as the European Council granted the country the “European perspective” to become a member of the European Union.
Lorinc Nacsa, a member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Hungary, said on Wednesday Hungary would support granting Georgia and Bosnia-Herzegovina the European Union membership candidate status alongside Ukraine and Moldova.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday marked the 8th anniversary since the signing of the Association Agreement with the European Union, calling it a “historic date” on Georgia’s European integration path and expressing his belief the country would receive the EU membership candidate status “very soon”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday marked the 8th anniversary since the signing of Georgia’s Association Agreement with the European Union by saying that the country’s EU integration was “irreversible”.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said it was “difficult to say" how long it would take for Georgia to receive the European Union membership candidate status, emphasising fulfilment of the conditions outlined by the EU for the outcome.
Georgian Ambassador to the United States David Zalkaliani on Tuesday received a copy of the European Council’s “historic” decision on granting the European perspective to Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova from Stavros Lambrinidis, the European Union Ambassador to the United States.
The ruling Georgian Dream party will set up a group tasked with monitoring political polarisation in the country, following the inclusion of the challenge of overcoming division on the domestic political field in the conditions outlined by the European Council for granting the country the European Union membership candidate status later this year.
European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell on Thursday said it was "very important for everyone in Georgia to realise” that the EU’s decision to “open the door” to Georgia with the European Council’s move to grant the country the European perspective was a “truly historic” moment.
Ireland is in favour of European enlargement, including for aspirations of European Union membership of Georgia, which needs “help and support and solidarity”, Simon Coveney, the Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, said on Wednesday.
In bilateral relations between Georgia and the European Union, the country will have “specific, tangible results very soon”, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili said on Sunday, while commenting on the annual Association Agreement Implementation Report of the EU.