PM highlights Govt’s “maximum work” for Georgia’s EU candidacy at meeting with European Council President
The Georgian PM told Michel his country’s commitment to reforms on the way to European integration was “firm”. Photo: Government press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday highlighted his Government's “maximum effort” in its work to meet the priorities outlined by the European Union last year for granting Tbilisi its membership candidate status, in a meeting with Charles Michel, the President of the European Council.
During the discussion held on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Garibashvili also stressed his country had demonstrated “progress in all directions” on its EU path, the Government press office said.
Delighted to meet @CharlesMichel within t/ scope of #UNGA78. Highlighted???????? -???????? excellent coop.Discussed????????'s progress in addressing 12 priorities& achieving short-term tasks specified by????????HR. Reiterated our commitment to meet all the priorities outlined by the @EU_Commission. pic.twitter.com/N4o3bWEWNB
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) September 18, 2023
Briefing the EU official on the Government’s efforts to meet the candidacy conditions, Garibashvili told Michel the country’s Parliamentary majority had on Monday announced its plans on how to address the remaining issues to “remove all questions” over the country’s status.
He noted the four issues raised by EU officials earlier this month - which include deoligarchisation, electoral and judiciary reforms - would be addressed “in full accordance” with the recommendations of the European Commission.
Highlighting Georgia’s “leading positions” on its Euro-Atlantic path, which he said had been approved by related EU reports, Garibashvili claimed a decision on the candidacy that considered “current geopolitical developments” and was based on a “merit-based approach” would recognise that the country “deserved” a positive outcome for the status.
The European Council has been scheduled to decide on Georgia’s status in December, following the final report and recommendations by the European Commission in October on Georgia’s implementation of the reform agenda.
Iraikli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the Georgian Government was “doing its best” to make sure “not even the slightest excuse” was left for the country to be refused the European Union membership candidate status for the second year running.
Georgia’s European integration process was discussed on Monday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said her participation at the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for European Union Affairs in Madrid had demonstrated the issue of Georgia was on the agenda of EU member states “even more actively” than last year.
Glenn Bedingfield, an MP in the Maltese Parliament, on Monday said Georgia should receive the European Union membership candidate status in December.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday met with Derek Chollet, the Senior Policy Advisor to the United States Secretary of State, to discuss the strategic partnership between their countries, security challenges in the South Caucasus region and Tbilisi’s European Union integration intentions.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday hailed the Georgian Intelligence Service as an “institution of modern European standards” on the professional day of the Service.
Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday said Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s ongoing trip to the United States for the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly would be used to “serve the country’s interests and its future”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday highlighted “important” bilateral meetings held by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos on Tuesday discussed close, friendly relations between the two states, as well as Cyprus’s support for Georgia’s European integration.
Georgia’s imprisoned former President Mikheil Saakashvili on Wednesday said the public “must all work together to ensure that the Georgian Government resigns” if the country failed to receive the European Union membership candidate status later this year.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday told Czech President Petr Pavel his country “deserved” the European Union membership candidate status, and added obtaining the status later this year could further contribute to a “stable” development of Georgia.
Bilateral relations and strengthening of the strategic partnership were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Jake Sullivan, the United States National Security Advisor, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Georgia’s European integration process and a “wide range” of “long-term cooperation” topics were discussed on Thursday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Alar Karis, the President of Estonia, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said the country’s achievements deserved “a favourable decision” from the European Union and stressed granting Georgia the candidate status was “the only course of action”.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said Bulgaria supported the country’s European integration and believed the “mistake” of the European Commission not granting the country the European Union candidate status in 2022 “should be corrected”.