Georgia “deserves” EU candidacy for choice, progress - ruling party MP
MP David Matikashvili said the “ball is now in our European colleagues’ court”. Photo: David Matikashvili’s Facebook
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David Matikashvili, an MP of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the country “deserves” the European Union membership candidate status both for its citizens’ “historic choice” of European integration and the progress in the process over the years.
In his remarks with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, the lawmaker stressed the European Commission’s “positive report” on Georgia's alignment with the European Union framework earlier in February had “clearly demonstrated this progress”.
He also noted the Georgian Government had used “all platforms and resources” to ensure the country’s return to its “European family” and receive the “well-deserved” status, noting the “ball is now in our European colleagues’ court”.
Calling the EU decision last year not to grant Georgia the status along with Ukraine and Moldova “unfair”, the MP expressed hopes the bloc would “correct the mistake” and the country obtained the status by the end of this year.
Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and was granted a European perspective by the European Council in June, along with priorities to address for gaining the bloc’s candidate status.
Davit Matikashvili, an MP for the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday rejected a comment by Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko on an alleged lack of support from the Georgian Government for the country in its defence from the Russian invasion as “immoral”.
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”.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Thursday said Tbilisi had done “everything” to obtain the European Union membership candidate status and the country “deserved” it.
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Thursday said the body had granted the European Union membership candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, and was ready to grant the same status to Georgia once the outstanding priorities outlined by the European Commission were addressed by the Georgian Government.
Rati Ionatamishvili, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday claimed Georgia “deserved” to receive the European Union membership candidate status last year and said a positive decision on the country’s application this year was even more appropriate.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday said member states of the European Union had vowed their support for Georgia on its European integration path.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday said Georgia's European integration would be achieved not only through the efforts of the Government but also by the political opposition and non-governmental sector in the country “bearing their responsibility” for the outcome.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday told Gert Jan Koopman, the Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, that Tbilisi expected “proper assessments” of its “efforts and progress” by obtaining the bloc’s membership candidate status by the end of this year.
Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday claimed Georgia did not need the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Union last year for it to receive the membership candidate status because the country “deserved” to receive the full status in the decision.