EU “unfairly rejecting” Georgia’s candidacy would cause “public scepticism” to bloc - Ruling party Sec-Gen
Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, highlighted Georgia “deserves” EU candidacy. Photo: Tbilisi City Hall press office
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If the European Union “unfairly rejects” Georgia’s application for receiving the bloc’s membership candidate status for the second year running, the decision will lead to “disappointment and scepticism” about the bloc in the domestic public, Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, said on Monday.
In his press comments, the official highlighted the European Council’s move last June to grant Georgia only a European perspective - while Moldova and Ukraine received the full candidacy status - was “politically grounded and not merit-based”.
Pointing to the “much better” conditions of democratic institutions in Georgia compared with the two other countries of the Associated Trio, Kaladze claimed the bloc’s move had been aimed at triggering “internal confrontations”, adding “changing the current Government is the opposition’s dream, but it is completely up to the choice of the Georgian people in the 2024 [Parliamentary] elections”.
I want to believe the [EU’s] decision will be fair, and we will be granted the status. It is up to the bloc, but [if the decision is unfair], people will see it. I do not want an unfair decision to cause disappointment and scepticism towards Europe among the Georgian public”, he said.
Kaladze also claimed the Government would have all conditions outlined by the EU last year for granting the status to Georgia completed by the end of this month.
Tbilisi officially applied for EU membership on March 3, 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said Georgia would fulfil all 12 priorities set by the European Union for granting the country its membership candidate status, so that there would be “no reason left” for not granting Georgia the status in December.
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.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has praised a “historic day” for Georgia with his signing of the country’s bid for European Union membership on Thursday, saying the move “continues the efforts of our ancestors, which was aimed at unification in a common European family.”
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.
Cooperation between Georgia and Liechtenstein in “various sectors” and deepening of parliamentary ties between them were discussed on Monday in a meeting between the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Dominique Hasler, Liechtenstein's Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau on Monday said his country’s Government supported granting the European Union membership candidate status to Georgia.
Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday claimed the country would obtain the European Union membership candidate status in December with “100 percent guarantee” and “despite attempts of the radical wing” of the domestic opposition.