President Zourabichvili: meeting EU candidacy recommendations a “challenge, not race” for Georgia
“We have been and should remain in solidarity with each other, because [this] solidarity is a response to Russia’s actions”, president Zourabichvili said while in Moldova. Photo: Maia Sandu’s twitter page
Tweet 
Share
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.
Speaking at a press conference along with Moldovan president Maia Sandu în Chișinău, the Georgian official stressed it was “right'' that Ukraine and Moldova, “who are currently in a different situation” due to the conflict in the former, had been granted the status by the European Council in June.
Glad to welcome ????????President @Zourabichvili_S to Chisinau today as we commit to closer cooperation between ???????? and ???????? in the future but also to working together on the road of #EU integration. pic.twitter.com/FACLAp72UT
— Maia Sandu (@sandumaiamd) October 17, 2022
She acknowledged Georgia had also expected to receive the status in the decision, but added “this in no way means that we are competing with anyone. If there is any competition, we [Georgians] have it with ourselves [to meet the conditions]”.
The president stressed each country had to implement reforms and meet the recommendations which concerned them individually, and called for unity on the integration path both inside the countries and with allied states, adding the process would “determine our European future”.
We have been and should remain in solidarity with each other, because [this] solidarity is a response to Russia’s actions”, Zourabichvili said.
Since the Petra Summit last year, our two nations have moved forward on the path to European integration.
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) October 17, 2022
Moldova and Georgia both belong in Europe. Our cooperation on this road will make us stronger. @sandumaiamd ???????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/l4owh4qzTN
Speaking about Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the Georgian president stressed the conflict had revealed Russia’s “true image”.
She said while Georgia had gone through aggression and occupation by Russia over the years, European partners had maintained a belief that Russia could remain a “reliable partner”. The war in Ukraine had however changed their attitude with its revealing of “the true face of Russian aggression, Russia's imperial vision and behaviour”, she noted.