Vladimir Orlić, the President of the Serbian National Assembly, on Monday said he hoped the European Union would give “adequate assessments” to Georgia’s “progress” on its European integration path, the Parliament of Georgia press office said.
Coming ahead of the bloc’s decision later this year on Georgia's membership candidate status, the remark was made following the Serbian official’s meeting with his Georgian counterpart Shalva Papushvili in Tbilisi.
Congratulating Tbilisi on the country’s democratic “achievements”, Orlić said “I am sure the reforms Georgia is working on will be successful, the country’s progress will be adequately evaluated by the bloc and you will become a full-fledged member of the EU”, before pledging his country’s “firm support” for Georgia’s European aspirations.
I have a pleasure to host my friend @Vladimir_Orlic, Speaker of the Serbian National Assembly, in Tbilisi to discuss our bilateral agenda from parliamentary diplomacy to trade to people-to-people ties. Our shared EU membership goal is a strong ground for closer partnership ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/QuX4vNJXY8
— Shalva Papuashvili ???????? (@shpapuashvili) March 20, 2023
Pointing to Serbia’s “decades-long” membership talks with the bloc, Papuashvili praised the country’s “willingness and desire” to share its “valuable experience” in the process with Georgia.
He also said Serbia was “one of the first countries” Georgia had launched a bilateral dialogue with on EU matters and signed a related memorandum to strengthen cooperation in the direction.
The sides also expressed readiness to support each other at the international level to facilitate their European integration process.
We believe, through joint efforts, Georgia and Serbia will further advance on their EU integration path”, said the Georgian official.
The meeting also reviewed the “positive dynamics” in bilateral cooperation and the reforms implemented by the Georgian Government to ensure the country’s alignment with the EU framework, the Parliament press office said.