European Commission president: EU has recognised Georgia's European perspective, up to candidates to “advance towards our Union”
In her speech at the EU ambassadors conference, von der Leyen stressed it was the bloc's “responsibility” to support candidate countries “in every possible way”.Photo: Ursula von der Leyen's twitter page.
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The European Union has recognised Georgia's European perspective, and it is up to candidate countries to reform their economies and their institutions and “advance towards our Union”, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said on Wednesday.
In her speech at the EU ambassadors conference, von der Leyen stressed it was the bloc's “responsibility” to support candidate countries “in every possible way”.
The wind of change is once again blowing through Europe. [...] Of course, it is up to candidate countries to reform their economies and their institutions, and advance towards our Union. But it is our responsibility to support them in every possible way. This is Europe's moment. And it is up to us to seize this moment”, von der Leyen said.
On June 24, the European Council granted the membership candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, and said it would be ready to grant the same status to Georgia once the outstanding priorities outlined by the European Commission would be addressed by the Georgian government.
Georgia's integration into the European Union, the “severe” situation in the Russian-occupied territories of the county and the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, and Urška Klakočar Zupančič, the Speaker of the Slovenian Parliament.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said his Government was pledging “full and absolute” political support to Ukraine and providing humanitarian aid “beyond its capabilities”, but “cannot and will not” provide military aid.
Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday said his country was supporting Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
Georgia continues to fulfil visa liberalisation benchmarks and has taken action to address the European Commission’s previous recommendations, the fifth report of the Commission on the fulfilment of visa-free obligations by Eastern Partnership countries and the Balkan states said on Monday.
Ulrik Tideström, the ambassador of Sweden to Georgia, on Tuesday said the European Union had opened its door to Georgia and “clearly recognised” the country’s European perspective.
The United States “strongly supports” the desire of Georgia and Moldova to join the European Union, Karen Donfried, the United States assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, said on Tuesday.
Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili on Monday said meeting the European Union’s 12-point conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status was a “challenge” for the country, adding Georgia was not competing with “anyone but itself” in the process.
The 2022 national security strategy of the United States outlines the country will support “European aspirations” of Georgia and Moldova and their commitment to “important institutional reforms”.
Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and the secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said the government was “ready to implement all reforms” and take “appropriate steps” for the country to become a “full-fledged” member state of Europe.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, on Thursday said the European Union wanted Georgia to “advance and succeed” on its EU path, as the country is working to meet the bloc’s 12-point conditions for receiving the membership candidate status.
The Georgian prime minister’s co-chairing of a discussion on peace and security in Europe at the inaugural summit of the European Political Community is a “very important signal” that the country is an “integral part of the European family”, foreign minister Ilia Darchiashvili said on Thursday.
The process of implementation of the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Union for granting Georgia the membership candidate status was discussed on Thursday by the Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.