PM: By “merit-based” decision, Georgian people, Gov’t, country deserve EU candidate status

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Saturday said that based on the work and achievements of the country, the “merit-based” decision would be to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status, stressing Georgian people, Government and the country deserved it.

Garibashvili noted the ruling Georgian Dream party had done most during the last 30 years to turn the country’s and its ancestors' European integration dream into reality, pointing out that the party, after coming to power, started “active work” on the Association Agreement, which was signed by Georgia with the European Union in 2014, by this taking a step forward on the path of European integration. 

Georgia achieved a visa-free travel regime with Europe for its citizens in 2015, Garibashvili said, slamming the previous Government for delaying the work for it,  saying “if they really wanted the country's European integration and Europeanisation, then I am asking why they started this process 3 years late”.

He also noted that during the ruling GD governance, the country had officially applied for EU candidate status last year and was granted a “historical” European perspective. By this, “we have been told that our place is in Europe”, and “now we have been working on already symbolic recognition - granting the candidate status to the country”, the Head of the Government added. 

it is a fact Georgia has been in the “leading position” compared to the Associated Trio countries - Ukraine and Moldova, being much ahead of the two states, he said, emphasising that even though Moldova did not impose international economic sanctions on Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine, had a visa-free regime with Russia and was a member of the Eurasian organisation, Commonwealth of Independent States, the country “has not received any criticism” for it “and I am happy about that, I am only happy. I want to wish everyone success, Moldova, Ukraine, the whole of Europe, the whole world”.

Regarding the participation in the NATO missions, Garibashvili said Georgia had deployed 18,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, with “hundreds of heroic soldiers” wounded, stressing the country lost 32 Georgian “military heroes”, who “gave their lives for NATO, for world peace”.

We set a goal, we said that this is Euro-Atlantic integration and they went bravely, just like we Georgians always do and sacrificed themselves”, Garibashvili said, pointing out “at critical times” he would always remind the country’s international friends of this. “We never retreat, but everything has a limit”, he added.

The PM said his Government had “immediately” started the fulfilment of the EU recommendations and noted “almost all of them were implemented in a very timely manner” and the remaining would be completed “probably by the end of June”. 

“If they [European partners] really want to maintain this peace, stability, development in the country [Georgia] and most importantly fulfil their established priority, the number one obligation, ending the polarisation, then the country should get the candidate status”, Garibashvili stressed and slammed the domestic radical opposition - “anti-European, anti-state, anti-national force” for spreading “lies and misinformation”.