Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday called on domestic opposition groups and lawmakers to end “destructive actions and sabotage” against “national interests” and join the work for obtaining the European Union membership candidate status for the country.
In his address to parliament, the head of the government said following the “historic decision” of the EU in June to grant Georgia the European perspective, his government and parliament had “immediately” presented an action plan and set up working groups to meet the 12-point conditions for the bloc’s membership candidate status.
He also said authorities had “opened the door” to all opponents, media and non-governmental organisations to get involved in the work.
Opposition MPs had summoned the PM to parliament. Photo: government press office.
However, the opposition’s response was the same as 10 years ago - destruction and sabotage”, the PM said, claiming a majority of opposition MPs who were being “vocal” about the country’s European integration had not attended working group meetings for the advancement of the country’s integration process.
Garibashvili called on the opposition to join the government’s work for the country’s “European future”, adding without their participation the fulfillment of the first condition of the bloc - the depolarisation of the country’s political environment - was unlikely. “What you are doing now is a complete boycott of the process and a sabotage of national interests”, he told opposition politicians.
The decision over Georgia’s membership candidate status is expected next year.