EU Ambassador hopes Georgia will move “one step further” on EU path

Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Tuesday expressed his hope Georgia would move “one step further” on its path towards the European Union accession. 

In his remarks, Herczynski noted the work on meeting the bloc’s conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status later this year was “in progress”. 

“With regard to the 12 priorities, the work clearly is in progress. Several weeks ago, the European Commission presented the so-called oral update”, he noted.

According to the European Commission, out of the 12 recommendations, three recommendations have been fully implemented. In two recommendations, we still have a need to accelerate. This is freedom of media and deoligarchisation. On the remaining seven recommendations, there has been some progress, but we are waiting for further progress”, Herczynski said.

The EU diplomat also emphasised the picture was “mixed” and noted there was “still time” to meet the conditions. 

The European Commission will issue the enlargement report in October. And of course, we are all looking forward to the decision to be taken by 27 EU member states at the highest political level, at the level of EU heads of state and government, about next steps when it comes to EU-Georgia relationship”, he explained.

The Ambassador also said the decision on the status was “in the hands of 27 EU member states”.