German FM: Georgian Gov’t, civil society’s “joint work” in implementing EU candidacy conditions “necessary”
The top German diplomat noted “significant progress” in the implementation of the 12 recommendations set out by the European Commission last year for granting Georgia the status. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, on Friday said the Georgian Government and the civil society could not become members of the European Union independently of one another, in comments highlighting the necessity of their joint work on fulfilling the bloc’s conditions for granting the country its membership candidate status.
The top German diplomat noted “significant progress” in the implementation of the 12 recommendations set out by the European Commission last year for granting Georgia the status.
There are 12 priorities to receive the candidate status. This is the most important task for all of us. Naturally, it is necessary to work together. In the accession process, it is necessary to uphold the rule of law, to implement democratic standards”, Baerbock said.
She also added now the task was to overcome polarisation in the domestic Georgian politics, restore trust and implement reforms “necessary” for Georgia’s membership in the EU.
The Georgian Government cannot become a member of the European Union without the civil society - and vice versa, the civil society cannot become a member of the European Union without the Georgian Government. It is possible only together. Therefore, we want to contribute to this issue [of integration], to strengthen it”, she noted.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said if Europe “really wanted” to end political polarisation in Georgia, the bloc should grant the country the European Union membership candidate status.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday said the European Union flag was “flying not only at protest rallies, but in the hearts of all of us” given the “historical choice” of EU membership by the country’s citizens.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who is on her first official visit to Georgia, on Friday said Georgian citizens “belong in” the European Union and vowed her country’s support for the country’s European integration.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday hosted his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock during the latter’s first official visit to the country.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday said that her country’s citizens showed “great interest” in visiting Georgia, in comments during her first official trip to the country.
The cooperation between Georgia and Germany, the progress on the European integration path and the implementation of the EU conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status were discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock ended her two-day official visit to Georgia later on Friday, with her Georgian counterpart Ilia Darchiashvili escorting her to the Tbilisi International Airport for the official departure ceremony.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Head of the European Integration Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said the issue of Georgia being granted the European Union membership candidate status had become a “political tool” for the domestic opposition.