Ruling party head: “radical” opposition irritated by EU commissioner’s “promising” messages on European integration
In his remarks over the matter, Kobakhidze noted the “only goal” of the opposition was to prevent the country from receiving the EU membership candidate status. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office.
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said messages delivered by Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, in his visit to Georgia this week were “promising” for Georgia’s European integration process, a development he said “irritated” the domestic “radical” opposition.
In his remarks over the matter, Kobakhidze noted the “only goal” of the opposition was to prevent the country from receiving the EU membership candidate status.
Oliver Varhelyi's visit [and his] positive messages were of particular importance. If we want to receive EU membership the candidate status, first of all, we have to listen to the European commissioner for enlargement. He came with positive messages, and look what irritation has followed his positive messages”, the GD official said.
“Varhelyi's messages are promising in the sense that we can receive the candidate status more easily, and all this has led to irritation from the radical opposition. They could not hide that their only goal is to prevent Georgia from receiving the candidate status”, he concluded.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the parliament, on Wednesday said the “negative reactions” of some domestic opposition groups over the recent visit and “positive comments” of Varhelyi on Georgia’s progress on its EU path “once again proved they are fighting against the country’s European integration”.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the parliament, on Wednesday said the “negative reactions” of some domestic opposition groups over the recent visit and “positive comments” of the European Union commissioner Oliver Varhelyi on Georgia’s progress on its EU path “once again proved they are fighting against the country’s European integration”.
Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, on Wednesday tweeted Georgia had made a “very clear message” to the bloc that only EU membership would be considered “strong enough” for long-term peace, stability and prosperity for the country.
The European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, on Tuesday, discussed Georgia’s European perspective and the 12-point conditions set by the bloc for granting the country the membership candidate status at the meetings with Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili, parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili and representatives of various parliamentary parties.
Oliver Varhelyi, the EU commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, on Tuesday said national consensus in Georgia was “necessary” for the work on the European Union’s conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status.
Khatuna Samnidze, an opposition MP and the chair of the Republican Party, on Friday said Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, had demonstrated his support for Georgia during his visit to the country this week.
Georgian parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said there were “unfriendly” groups outside Georgia making every effort to hinder the process of the country's European integration process.