EU Ambassador highlights “personal opinion” that Georgia will receive candidate status
The EU diplomat also stressed it was also “very important” that “good news” was coming from Georgia on the reforms and related political developments. Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia
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Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday said his personal opinion was that Georgia would receive the EU membership candidate status later this year.
In his remarks with the local media, Herczynski noted it was “important” for the country to use the time remaining until the end of the year to achieve “maximum” progress on the recommendations set out by the European Union for granting it the status.
The EU diplomat also stressed it was also “very important” that “good news” was coming from Georgia on the reforms and related political developments.
Herczynski also noted the bloc “welcomed and supported” communication of the Georgian authorities with capitals of EU member states, and “all visits” of high-ranking EU officials to Georgia on the backdrop of the integration process.
It is very important that this dialogue be as intensive as possible, so that the 27 member states make the right decision at the end of the year regarding Georgia's next steps on the path to EU membership”, he concluded.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Wednesday said informing French partners on the country's implementation of the European Union conditions for granting it the membership candidate status later this year would be the focus of the visit of a Georgian Parliamentary delegation to Paris on Wednesday.
Georgia’s European integration process was discussed on Monday in a meeting between Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, and his German counterpart Michael Roth.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday highlighted the importance of maintaining a “high-level dialogue” in achieving the European Union candidacy for the country.
Deepening the relations between Georgia and France in fields including culture, education and trade was discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Yaël Braun-Pivet, the President of the French National Assembly.
The role of local governments in Georgia’s integration into the European Union was highlighted at the Committee meeting of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions on Wednesday, as the event is hosted in Tbilisi.
The cooperation between Georgia and France and Georgia’s European integration process were discussed on Thursday in a meeting between the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Gérard Larcher, the President of the French Senate.
Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party and Tbilisi Mayor, on Saturday said receiving the European Union membership candidate status was essential not only for its Government but for Georgia and the country’s future.
The European Union Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski’s recent visit to Georgia’s autonomous Adjara region, with a wide-ranging agenda, reaffirmed “the strong and growing” partnership between the bloc and the country, the EU in Georgia said on Saturday.