European perspective “choice of Georgian people”, gov’t has “accelerated irreversible process” - PM
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and German chancellor Olaf Scholz met in Berlin on Wednesday. Photo: govermmnet of Georgia press office
Tweet 
Share
Georgia’s European perspective is a “choice of Georgian people”, an “irreversible path” which the government has accelerated “as much as possible” in the last few years, prime minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Wednesday at a joint press conference with Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz.
It was my pleasure to meet @Bundeskanzler during my official visit to????????. Focused on ???????????????? close p'ship& discussed ways to foster our strategic coop. We highly appreciate????????’s political support that is essential to succeed on ????????integration path& to ensure peace across the region pic.twitter.com/6gZC79Vv6m
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) September 14, 2022
First of all, I would like to say that our government is consistent on the matter of our country's accession to the European Union. [...] It was during our government that we signed the Association and Free Trade Agreements [with the EU] and adopted visa-free travel, and now [...] at this historical time, a historic decision was reached, which refers to the granting of the European perspective [by European Council to Georgia in June]”, Garibashvili noted.
The head of the government said the acceleration of the process of Georgia joining the EU had not been a “matter of desire” and would be “impossible” to speed up, adding there had been a “certain criteria” that Georgia had to fulfil and prepare the country to become a member of the bloc, an objective the government had taken with “utmost responsibility”.
Willkommen in Berlin @GharibashviliGe! Im Europäischen Rat haben wir uns diesen Sommer darauf verständigt, #Georgien eine #EU-Perspektive zu eröffnen. Ich ermutige Georgien, die dafür nötigen Reformschritte zu gehen. Auf dem Weg in die Europäische Union helfen wir sehr gerne. pic.twitter.com/6dpI9MykCw
— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) September 14, 2022
Garibashvili stressed his team had a “concrete plan” for modernisation, transformation and facilitation of reforms in the country, including the implementation of the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Council for granting the country the EU membership candidate status.
He also said the government would “do its best” to achieve this “as soon as possible”, calling the aim a “plan” and “vision” that “express the will” of Georgian citizens.