Ruling party head: Georgia’s European course “not subject to revision”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday highlighted the status of Georgia’s European course being enshrined in the constitution, noting it was “not subject to any revision”.

In an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcasting, Kobakhidze noted that 85 percent of the Georgian citizens supported the country’s European integration process.

[W]e have already taken many steps to implement the 12 recommendations [for European Union membership candidate status] and the Association Agreement [signed with the EU in 2014]. [...] We elected a [new] Public Defender [a condition outlined in the EU priorities for Georgia]. By the way, a part of the opposition refused to fulfil this point, which shows their spirit and goals”, Kobakhidze told the interview. 

The GD official claimed “all prerequisites” were in place for the EU membership candidate status to be granted to Georgia in December. 

Therefore, granting us the status has no alternative - the rest is a matter of a political decision”, he told the channel.

Responding to criticism from the domestic opposition, civil sector and foreign representations in the country against the now-withdrawn bill on transparency of foreign influence, Kobakhidze also highlighted his participation in the drafting of the article in the constitution that defined the Euro-Atlantic integration of the country, adding “neither I nor my colleagues need to be reminded of this article”.