Opposition “doing everything” against Georgia’s EU membership candidacy to spark unrest - ruling party head
Irakli Kobakhidze said unlike the opposition, the country’s Government was “doing its utmost” to obtain the status. Photo: Irakli Kobakhidze’s Facebook
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said a part of domestic opposition parties was “doing everything” to prevent the country from receiving the European Union membership candidate status by the end of this year and use the development for “sparking unrest” in the country.
In comments for the media, Kobakhidze said unlike the opposition, the country’s Government was “doing its utmost” to obtain the status.
The official refrained from making predictions about the bloc’s forthcoming decision on the country, but added Georgia had had a “negative experience” when it was “unfairly denied” the status last year.
We hope the EU decision will be fair in December. Let us wait”, Kobakhidze said.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Tuesday said he hoped Georgia would become a member of the bloc, noting the outcome would bring “enormous benefits to the country”.
Georgia officially applied for EU membership in March 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and was granted a European perspective in June, which the Georgian officials described as a “historic decision” but also labelled the move “unfair”, claiming Tbilisi deserved the status more than Ukraine and Moldova based on its democratic achievements.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has praised a “historic day” for Georgia with his signing of the country’s bid for European Union membership on Thursday, saying the move “continues the efforts of our ancestors, which was aimed at unification in a common European family.”
The Government of Georgia is applying for the European Union membership, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party chairman Irakli Kobakhidze said on Wednesday.
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Thursday said the body had granted the European Union membership candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, and was ready to grant the same status to Georgia once the outstanding priorities outlined by the European Commission were addressed by the Georgian Government.
Georgia is requesting the European Union membership candidate status the country has “deserved” through its 30-year “struggle for democracy” and reforms implemented by the Government over the past nine years, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said it was “wrong” to think that “something” could be “achieved” in Georgia by confrontation, revolution and overthrowing the Government.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday claimed all 12 conditions outlined by the European Council last year for granting the European Union membership candidate status to Georgia would be fulfilled by the end of June.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said the radical domestic opposition was sabotaging the implementation of the 12 priorities, outlined by the European Union last year for granting its membership candidate status to Georgia.