MEP highlights “very big chances” for Georgia’s EU integration, points to “mutual obligations”
Speaking about the EU’s obligations, the MEP said the bloc would have to carry out organisational changes for the expansion. Photo: EP
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Helmut Scholz, a member of the European Parliament, on Wednesday highlighted “very big chances” of European Union integration for Georgia, noting the country was developing “in the right direction” and pointing to “mutual obligations” over the bloc’s potential enlargement.
Following a discussion in the EP over the EU’s planned expansion by 2030, the MEP stressed both domestic authorities whose countries were aspiring for the bloc’s membership and the bloc itself should “get prepared” for the process.
He said governments of aspirant countries should inform their citizens what the bloc’s membership meant and that all laws adopted by the EU over the past 15 years would concern them when invited for membership.
Speaking about the EU’s obligations, the MEP said the bloc would have to carry out organisational changes for the expansion “in line with the new reality”, and that the promised enlargement “must not be delayed”.
This expansion should take place with a deep, democratic structure, in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria and the implementation of all criteria - state legislation, rule of law, human rights, labour rights”, he said.
The European Council has been scheduled to decide on Georgia’s membership candidate status in December, following final assessments of the European Commission in October over the country’s implementation of the reform agenda for the status.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday claimed the Government had a “very concrete interest” in receiving the European Union membership candidate status and its accompanying benefits for the country, while alleging the domestic opposition were “afraid” of the country achieving the recognition.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said the Government would “in the near future” present a plan on “fully” completing its work on meeting the conditions for receiving the European Union membership candidate status in December.
Georgia’s European integration and cooperation between the country and the European Union in defence and security were discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Josep Borrell, the visiting European Union High Representative.
Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative on a visit to Georgia, on Friday stressed “Georgia no doubt belongs to European family”, before revealing the bloc’s “key messages” ahead of its decision later this year on whether to grant Tbilisi its candidate status.
Georgia’s European Union Integration Commission on Thursday adopted an action plan for deoligarchisation to address one of the conditions for the bloc granting the country its membership candidate status.
Revaz Javelidze, the Head of the Georgian Government Administration, on Thursday said the action plan for deoligarchisation adopted by Georgia's European Union Integration Commission earlier today, was developed based on recommendations of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and “our European partners”.
Iraikli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday claimed the country would be “ready” to obtain the European Union membership candidate status by the end of this year.
The Georgian capital city of Tbilisi on Thursday hosted the Conference on Georgia’s Road to the European Union, organised by the Parliament of Georgia and the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum’s Georgian National Platform.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Saturday said the European Union had to show its “credibility and reliability” in supporting Georgian people’s European aspirations.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday highlighted the strategic partnership signed with Hungary last year and the latter country’s “firm and unconditional” support for Georgia’s European integration in a Tbilisi meeting with his Hungarian counterpart László Kövér.