EU commissioner: Georgian economy “obviously” developing

Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, on Tuesday told a press briefing in Tbilisi there were “obvious” signs the Georgian economy was developing. 

At the press conference alongside prime minister Irakli Garibashvili, Varhelyi said “[t]he economy must be booming – on our way to the city it was apparent for anyone who has been missing the last year. 

It is great to be back in Georgia. It has been a bit more than a year I was here the last time, and to be frank with you, I can already see the development [...] So I think that there is progress in Georgia, in the economy, and I am here as Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement! This is the first time that it is not only neighbourhood – one part of my portfolio – is active, but also the other one which is enlargement", he also told the briefing.

He also added the country had “shown us very clearly that only joining the European Union is a strong and solid goal of Georgia, and long-term stability and peace are needed for this”. The EU official also noted “[w]e have listened to this message very clearly, and I am here not only to tell you that we heard the message, but also to tell you that we are ready to deliver on this message".

We want to help to get Georgia ready for becoming a member of the European Union, still under our generation – as the Prime Minister also made the point. So in the forthcoming weeks and months, we will have to work very hard and we need Georgia to work very hard to demonstrate its readiness to become a candidate country", Varhelyi said

Varhelyi started his official visit today, meeting Garibashvili in one-on-one and expanded formats. The EU commissioner is next scheduled to meet president Salome Zourabichvili.