PM to EU commissioner: “all genuine results” on Georgia’s EU path “merit” of current gov’t
Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday told Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, that his government was doing “its utmost” to meet the conditions for the bloc’s membership candidate status. Photo: governmnet press office
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“All genuine results” achieved on Georgia’s European integration path are the “merit” of the current government of the country, prime minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Tuesday at a press conference in Tbilisi with Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement.
The head of the government said the EU-Georgia association agreement, free trade and visa-free travel deals, and the recently gained European perspective were the examples of the achievements.
He said thanks to the progress made in a “short period of time”, Georgia “stands out as one of the leading countries” of the EU’s eastern partnership initiative.
Arriving to #Tbilisi, #Georgia today .
— Oliver Varhelyi (@OliverVarhelyi) November 15, 2022
Georgia has sent a clear message: Georgia wants to join the EU.
We hear this loud & clear. We are ready to work on this and deliver.
I have meeting with President @Zourabichvili_S & Prime Minister @GharibashviliGe pic.twitter.com/pX13qWHI7e
Until 2012 [under the United National Movement government], we lived in the conditions of a dictatorial, autocratic regime, where there were no real signs of democracy [and] neither [free] media, nor free judiciary”, Garibashvili said.
Praising the commissioner’s first visit after Georgia was granted European perspective in June, Garibashvili reiterated the latter has been a “historic decision”, and that his government was doing “its utmost” to meet the conditions for the bloc’s membership candidate status.
Speaking about the ongoing occupation of Georgian territories by Russia and commending the role of the EU monitoring mission in the country’s conflict-related efforts, the PM also highlighted the importance of peaceful reintegration of the occupied territories.