Irish Foreign Minister: Georgia needs “help and support and solidarity”

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.

Coveney made the remark to Senator Gary Gannon during hearings held within the Irish Parliament’s Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.

The Foreign Minister said Georgia was a “relatively small country but in a very strategic part of Europe”, adding the decision of the European Council to not grant Georgia the EU membership status outright was not seen within the bloc as “closing the door” for the country.

Coveney argued the decision was actually seen as “opening the door” to Georgia by clarifying what reforms were expected from the country in order to be eligible for the candidate status.

“The accession process is difficult and sometimes prolonged but I hope at least following the decision of the last EU Council meeting there will at least be clarity in terms of what they need to do to take next steps”, Coveney pointed out.

He added he could understand the frustration caused by the Council’s decision - announced simultaneously as Moldova and Ukraine were granted the membership candidate status - but reassured Georgian citizens that Ireland was “in favour of enlargement”.

The official also highlighted Ireland wanted to “see peace” in countries aspiring to join the EU, noting Georgia was “clearly one of those countries”.