PM: Brussels visit gives impression “we should have positive expectations” on EU bid

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday said his visit to Brussels last week, where he met European Union officials, had left him with the impression that “we should have quite positive expectations” on the country’s bid to receive the bloc's membership candidate status.

“A few days ago [on June 14] I was in Brussels, I had high-level meetings with [European Council] President Michel, my delegation had meetings with his cabinet. I also met European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi and had a long conversation about the progress we had made”, Garibashvili said.

My personal impression is that we should have quite positive expectations, although of course there are many things to be decided before then. I explained to them in detail what steps had been taken by our Government, and a full report of our activities had been submitted to the European Commission. Therefore, I believe that we should calmly wait for the decision of the European Commission”, the Government head continued. 

Garibashvili noted in his conversations with EU officials he had stressed that “what is happening on the European continent and this devastating war in Ukraine” had “completely” changed the international order.

I told them that in such a situation, the separation of Georgia would be a strategic mistake of the West and it is not in the interests of either the West or ours. I also made it clear to our friends that of course, if we want to end polarisation in the country, they must give us the [membership candidate] status, because this is one of the main sources of speculation and polarisation”, he said.

He also alleged the domestic opposition had “practically” boycotted the Government and had refused to participate in the process of implementing the EU conditions for the status.