Georgia’s EU Integration Commission adopts deoligarchisation action plan
Chaired by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, the Commission approved the plan that will seek to “eliminate excessive influence on the political, economic, and social” spheres in the country. Photo: PM's press office
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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.
Chaired by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, the Commission approved the plan that will seek to “eliminate excessive influence on the political, economic, and social” spheres in the country, with the document developed based on recommendations of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and the EU.
The Government Administration said the plan included a package of amendments to be made to legislation via “systemic approach”, as the European bodies had recommended in their earlier assessment of initial plans presented by the country’s authorities.
It also said the plan contained “concrete timeframes” for adoption of relevant legislative amendments.
The Administration said the document encompassed seven areas, including anticorruption and antimonopoly directions, matters pertaining to money laundering and media pluralism, and measures to be carried out in the judiciary.
In addition, at the meeting, the Foreign Ministry received a recommendation to continue additional consultations with European partners.
After its adoption by the Government, work on the plan will continue in the Parliament, the Administration said.
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.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said the “main part” of the conditions for Georgia to receive the European Union membership candidate status had been “implemented”, adding there were “a few recommendations that we are actively working on”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday pledged the process of reforms in the country would continue until Georgia became a "full-fledged member of the European Union”.
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 Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said there would be “no reasons” for the European Union bodies to reject granting the country the bloc’s membership candidate status, after noting the Government’s approval on Thursday of an action plan for deoligarchisation to address one of the conditions for receiving the status.