Italian Deputy FM pledges support for Georgia’s EU integration in Tbilisi

Edmondo Cirielli, the Italian Deputy Foreign Minister, on Wednesday pledged his Government's support for Georgia’s European integration in a Tbilisi meeting with his Georgian counterpart Teimuraz Janjalia, the Georgian foreign office said. 

Saying Georgia had “always been a part of Europe culturally”, the visiting official stressed the country’s people could count on Italy’s support on its European integration path. 

The comment came ahead of the bloc’s decision whether to grant Georgia its membership candidate status by the end of this year, following the country’s official application for EU membership in March 2022. 

The meeting between the officials reviewed Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, its commitment to meet the conditions outlined by the EU last year for granting the status and bilateral cooperation, with a focus on political, economic, defence and security cooperation, the foreign office said. 

The discussion also involved Georgia’s NATO integration and Tbilisi’s preparations for the alliance’s forthcoming summit in Vilnius in July.