Parliament official: European partners “acknowledge mistake” of not granting Georgia EU candidate status last year
Botchorishvili, who is on a visit to Strasbourg with a Parliamentary delegation, noted the importance of not using Georgia’s case for “narrow partisan interests” either in the country or within the EU. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday said the Government’s European partners were “acknowledging” the “mistake” of last year’s decision not to grant the country the European Union membership candidate status.
Botchorishvili, who is on a visit to Strasbourg with a Parliamentary delegation, noted the importance of not using Georgia’s case for “narrow partisan interests” either in the country or within the EU.
Of course, they [European partners] acknowledge that there was a mistake when Georgia was not granted the candidate status, and they believe that this mistake should be corrected as quickly as possible. A political decision should be made in December in favour of Georgia”, Botchorishvili said.
She added that Georgian officials would continue to consult with European partners on matters related to the status, as “it is important that Georgia has firm support during this period”.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday alleged a “propaganda” effort against the country in response to a statement by Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Head of the Ukrainian President's Office, who on Sunday said Georgia had “no chance of becoming a member of the European Union”.
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Monday reviewed his visit to Georgia last week by saying the bloc wanted to “see Georgia succeeding on its European path”.
Beka Davituliani, a member of the Parliamentary majority in the Georgian legislative body, on Monday said Europe needed to have a “stronghold like Georgia” in the South Caucasus region, while the country needed to receive the European Union membership candidate status and become a full member of the bloc.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hosted Meline Arakelian, the new Ambassador of the Netherlands to Georgia, and discussed the “dynamically developing” bilateral ties and his country’s European integration prospects ahead of the European Union’s forthcoming decisions on Georgia's candidate status later this year.
Nacho Sánchez Amor, a member of the European Parliament, on Wednesday highlighted the “geopolitical mistake” of the European Council not granting Georgia the European Union membership candidate status last year.
Vasile Dîncu, the Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Romanian Senate, on Monday said his country’s Government “strongly” supported not only the integration of Georgia into the European Union, but also its accession to NATO.
Glenn Bedingfield, an MP in the Maltese Parliament, on Monday said Georgia should receive the European Union membership candidate status in December.