Parliament committee chair: “strong, unequivocal” message that Georgia is part of European family important

Maka Botchorishvili, the chair of the Georgian parliament’s European Union integration committee, on Tuesday said it was important to hear a “strong and unequivocal” message that the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia were “parts of the European family”.

Botchoriashvili was commenting on the statement of the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who on Wednesday addressed citizens in countries of the Western Balkans as well as Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia by telling them “you are part of our family, your future is in our Union, and our Union is not complete without you”. 

It was important to us to hear a strong and unequivocal message from Ursula von der Leyen regarding the enlargement of the European Union: the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia are part of the European family, their future is in the European Union and these countries are already on the way to join the European Union”, the parliament official said.

“This was a really important message for Georgia and all citizens of Georgia who support Georgia's accession to the European Union”, she continued. 

Botchorishvili stressed the “highest representatives” of the European Commission had confirmed Georgia was considered as a candidate for EU membership in the EU enlargement policy package, along with other countries.