Ruling party official: use of int’l platforms for achieving EU candidacy for Georgia “important”
In his remarks, Kaladze claimed Georgia was ahead of Moldova and Ukraine, the two other countries that submitted applications for EU membership in 2022, in qualifications for integration. Photo: Tbilisi City Hall
Tweet 
Share
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said it was “important” to use international platforms to support the objective of Georgia receiving the European Union membership candidate status later this year.
In his remarks, Kaladze claimed Georgia was ahead of Moldova and Ukraine, the two other countries that submitted applications for EU membership in 2022, in qualifications for integration.
“For me, as a citizen of this country, it is important that all people use international platforms, which are presented in different ways”, he said.
The Prime Minister travels around making statements, talking about our European future. [But also] [e]veryone should use it for the country to receive the status”, Kaladze added in comments on the Georgian President’s speech on Wednesday at the European Parliament.
“Frankly speaking, if anyone deserved to receive the status, it was our country, because we are ahead of all the countries that were given the said status in all respects. Have we been given a 12-point plan [for receiving the status]? Yes, [and] we are implementing it”, the official concluded.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday reiterated the “unwavering will of the Georgian people to join the European family” at the meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.
Georgia’s European future and implementation of the 12 priorities outlined by the European Union last year for granting its membership candidate status to the country were discussed on Tuesday by Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and the President of the European Council Charles Michel.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday hailed Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s comments at a panel discussion of the ongoing Global Security Forum in Bratislava and said the country obtaining the European Union membership candidate status later this year would end polarisation on the domestic political scene.
Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili will meet officials of the European Union in Brussels after departing for the official visit to the city on Monday, the President’s Administration said.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said his country “deserved” the European Union membership candidate status and noted the outcome was “the only right decision that the European partners need to make”.
European Council President Charles Michel on Thursday said he was “absolutely convinced” that the future of Georgia was as part of the European Union “family”.
The Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Thursday said her Government was supporting the efforts of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to become members of the European Union.