PM marks 8th anniversary of Association Agreement with EU, believes country will receive candidate status “very soon”
The head of the Government stressed the ruling Georgian Dream party had obtained these three “main achievements” in “just 8-10 years”. Photo: Government Administration
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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”.
This is a truly historic date. Eight years ago I had the honour to sign this agreement on behalf of our country. [...] I would like to highlight a few key tangible results. First of all, it is free trade [agreement with the EU]. [...] The second major achievement is visa-free travel. All citizens of our country travel to EU countries without visas with Georgian passports - which, of course, is also a very tangible result. and third, the European perspective for our country, now recognised by European leaders [with] their stated promise that Georgia will become a member of the EU”, Garibashvili said.
The head of the Government stressed the ruling Georgian Dream party had obtained these three “main achievements” in “just 8-10 years”.
He also claimed the process of negotiating the Association Agreement with the European Union had been “delayed” during the previous Government of the United National Movement party.
I believe that we will receive the [EU membership] candidate status very soon and we will continue to advance and develop our country. This is that real thing that the country has been able to do under our governance”, he stressed.
Garibashvili also highlighted the “initiative” of the ruling party to define the country's foreign policy orientation as “precisely” Euro-Atlantic in the Constitution.
The European Council’s decision on granting Georgia the European perspective, and matters of close partnership between Georgia and Hungary were discussed on Friday in a meeting between Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
Georgia has received “guaranteed promise” to become EU member
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday expressed the willingness of his Government for a “constructive” dialogue involving domestic political forces in a bid to end polarisation.
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.
Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chairman of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, on Monday said the demand of a part of the domestic opposition to form a “technical interim government of national accord” was “not in line” with the political agenda received by the country from the European Union.
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.
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”.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday said the alliance would adopt new packages of support for Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Moldova at its Summit that is set to launch on Tuesday in Madrid.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Monday said the Government would pursue the path of reforms that would “advance the country” on the European integration path and bring it closer to the ultimate goal of becoming an EU member.
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”.
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.
A protest rally was called on Monday outside the Government Administration in Tbilisi by the civic movement Back Home to Europe, with organisers pledging to launch other demonstrations across the country.