MEP Mcallister: Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova belong to European family
Mcallister made comments on the three states' bids to join the European Union, and said the decision on granting the mentioned countries candidate status must be taken by the 27 current member states. Photo: European Parliament
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Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are "belong to the European family" and "share our European values", David Mcallister, a Member of the European Parliament, told the Georgian Public Broadcaster on Wednesday.
Mcallister made comments on the three states' bids to join the European Union, and said the decision on granting the mentioned countries candidate status must be taken by the 27 current member states.
The procedure has been launched. The commission will analyze the situation in all three countries and submit the report on whether the existing conditions in the states correspond to the status of a candidate, the German MEP explained.
Mcallister also highlighted that giving Ukraine a European perspective was an expression of solidarity at this unusually difficult time, when people across Europe “are praying for courageous Ukrainian women and men.”
On Monday, ambassadors of EU member states agreed to invite the EU Commission to present the opinion on applications by Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova to join the Union.
Georgia officially applied for membership on March 3, with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili signing the country’s membership application.
There is practically no alternative for the European Union other than issuing a “clear and strong message” that it must open the door to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, Ryszard Czarnecki, member of the European Conservative and Reform Group in the European Parliament, said on Tuesday.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) MP who chairs the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told the Chairs of Foreign Relations Committees of the Parliaments of the European Union member states on Monday it was “crucial” the Union “demonstrates political will” and grants the country a candidate status.
The message to the aggressor Putin must be clear that Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are future members of the European Union, Member of the European Parliament Petras Austrevicius told the Georgian Public Broadcaster on Tuesday.
Gaining European Union membership is a long and time-consuming process, Georgia's Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani said on Monday following the EU Council’s decision to ask the European Commission to examine the applications for the membership submitted by Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
The door to the European Union is open for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, Andrzej Halicki, a Polish MEP and member of the European People's Party, said on Tuesday.
The ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, issues related to European security and Georgia’s application for European Union membership were discussed by Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani and his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde in a phone call on Wednesday.
It is “extremely important” for the European Union that Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova are “under its umbrella”, Gia Volski, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and Vice Parliament Speaker, said on Wednesday.
Georgia belongs to the European family and the Government is ready to implement the reforms that will eventually end with European Union membership, Archil Talakvadze, the Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, said on Friday.
A delegation of the Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament will visit Georgia next week to discuss its annual report on the Association Agreement between Georgia and the European Union.
Lithuanian Members of the European Parliament Andrius Kubilius and Rasa Juknevičienė on Saturday released a joint statement on the 14th anniversary of the 2008 war between Russia and Georgia and Russia’s continuing occupation of Georgian territories.