Tbilisi received guarantees from Italy, Malta on EU candidacy - Parliament Committee Chair
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday evaluated the meetings of the Georgian Parliamentary delegation in Italy and Malta. Photo: Nikoloz Samkharadze’s Twitter
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Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said a delegation from the lawmaking body had “practically received guarantees” from Italian and Maltese “top officials” of their backing for granting the European Union membership candidate status to Georgia in December.
In his press comments following the delegation’s visits to the two countries last week, the lawmaker also pointed to a “positively changed mood” in Europe around Georgia’s integration into the bloc.
In this note, Samkharadze highlighted a “positive and friendly environment” during the delegation’s meetings in Rome, before citing the head of the lower chamber in the Italian Parliament as saying it was “unclear” why the bloc had refused to grant the status to Georgia last year, along with Ukraine and Moldova.
The MP called on all political actors in Georgia to “merge efforts” for the country’s EU candidacy, while adding “unfortunately, our foreign partners are telling us that certain domestic forces are trying to affect the country’s image and diminish its progress”.
He also said the delegation would continue meetings in European capitals to facilitate support for the country’s EU integration.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) MP who chairs the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told the Chairs of Foreign Relations Committees of the Parliaments of the European Union member states on Monday it was “crucial” the Union “demonstrates political will” and grants the country a candidate status.
Relations between Georgia and Poland, European perspective for Georgia and security issues in the Black Sea region were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between a delegation of the Georgian parliament's foreign affairs committee and the Polish deputy foreign minister Marcin Przydacz.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair on Thursday participated in the panel of the international conference Forum 2000 in Prague.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, was elected as the Chair of the Democracy and Human Rights Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe on Tuesday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday participated in a roundtable discussion within the framework of the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday said a "lesson" of the "turning point" of the ongoing war in Ukraine was to support accession of Ukraine, Western Balkan states, Moldova and, "in the future", Georgia to the European Union.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said the European Union must make a “conscientious and fair” decision on the country’s membership candidate status later this year and allow Georgia to move to the next stage in its European integration process.
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday claimed a part of the domestic opposition was “doing everything to hinder” the country’s European integration and disrupt upcoming decisions on whether it would receive the European Union membership candidate status.
A ceremonial event marking the Italian National Day was held at the Zurab Tsereteli Museum of Modern Art in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi on Friday, organised by the Italian Embassy in the country and Italian Trade Agency.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday addressed the 44th Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Jakarta, Indonesia, to highlight his country’s “strategic location”, democratic reforms and pledge sharing of legislative experience.
Future cooperation between Georgia and East Asian countries was discussed on Thursday in a meeting between a Georgian Parliamentary delegation and the officials from member states of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
A Georgian delegation chaired by Nikoloz Samkharadze, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the country’s Parliament, on Friday discussed prospects of economic, trade, cultural and educational cooperation with representatives of legislative bodies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.