Georgian PM calls on opposition to “end sabotage” against “national interests”, join work for EU candidacy
The Georgian PM on Friday called on the opposition to stop “fighting against national interests” and join the work for Georgia’s European Union membership candidacy. Photo: parliament press office
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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.
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Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said the European Council granting European Union membership candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova “in advance” in June had been a “political decision”.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union’s ambassador to Georgia on Thursday said the EU commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, during his official visit to the country, had had a “very clear” message to everyone in regard to the need for national consensus for implementing the conditions outlined by the EU for granting Georgia the membership candidate status.
Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union commissioner for neighbourhood and enlargement, on Tuesday said Georgia required “national consensus” to meet the 12-point conditions set by the bloc for granting the country the membership candidate status.
The ruling Georgian Dream party on Friday presented its strategy for fulfilling the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Council for granting the country the European Union membership candidate status later this year.
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.
French and German ambassadors to Georgia, Sheraz Gasri and Peter Fischer, on Friday said the European Union had “opened its arms” to Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova in last year’s decisions on the Associated Trio countries’ aspirations for joining the bloc, in a joint statement released on the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Khatuna Samnidze, an opposition MP and the Chair of the Republican Party, on Tuesday said that “specific representatives” of the opposition were “hindering” the process of granting Georgia the European Union membership candidate status.