Parliament Speaker hopes for EU’s “fair decision” on Georgia’s membership status

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday expressed his hope the European Union would make a “fair decision” regarding Georgia’s membership candidate status and put the country in the same position as Ukraine and Moldova.

“During our conversations with our European partners, we emphasise - and in many cases we have a mutual understanding - that it is important that the decision of the European Union is based on merit, on the achievements that this or that country has”, Papuashvili said.

The evaluation of [Georgia’s membership] questionnaire, published in January, showed us that the decision in June of last year was not fair”, the Parliament official said in reference to the European Council granting a European perspective, instead of the full status, to Georgia.

“I hope that this time the European Union will make a fair decision and put Georgia in the same position as Ukraine and Moldova are today. This is important in many ways”, the Parliament official continued, stressing it was “important to preserve” the Associated Trio of the three countries.

[T]he decision regarding Georgia is not only a decision regarding one country - Georgia - but it is the position of the European Union towards the region. In this regard, it is particularly important that the European Union reconsiders its geopolitical role in the region and realises that the answer for Georgia means at the same time the position regarding the region”, the head of the legislative body concluded.