Ruling party official “optimistic” about EU candidate status for Georgia
In his remarks over the matter, Kaladze said the Georgian Government and citizens had "done everything” to receive the status that greenlights an eventual membership in the bloc. Photo: Tbilisi City Hall
Tweet 
Share
Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday expressed his “optimism” about the country being granted the European Union membership candidate status later this year.
In his remarks over the matter, Kaladze said the Georgian Government and citizens had "done everything” to receive the status that greenlights an eventual membership in the bloc.
Our country has done everything in order to be granted the status of a candidate [country] [this year]. Even though we deserved it from the beginning, if we compare the countries that were given the status [Ukraine and Moldova]”, Kaladze said.
“We were given a guide on what to do, and the Georgian Government, together with citizens, has worked very hard, and done everything for the country to receive the status”, the official continued.
Kaladze added a "political decision" had been made last year in not granting the country the status, adding “it still depends on [EU bodies] what they decide”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday reviewed cooperation and the country’s European integration in meetings with his Finnish, Irish and Italian counterparts on the sidelines of the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament in Dublin.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday said “those in Europe who support postponement of granting the [EU] membership candidate status to Georgia for another year” were “acting against not only Georgia but Europe as well”.
Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, on Thursday said the European Union “should not repeat its mistake” of failing to grant Georgia its membership candidate status in 2022 and make a positive decision on the status in December, a move he claimed would reveal the bloc’s “attitude to the long struggle of the Georgian people” for the country to regain its place in the “European family”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday said his Government had achieved “specific and tangible” results in fulfilling the priorities set by the European Commission for granting the country the European Union membership candidate status.
Sheraz Gasri, the French Ambassador to Georgia, and Peter Fischer, the German Ambassador to the country, on Friday said the European Union would continue to stand by Georgia as the country “progresses towards the candidate status and the EU membership”.
Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday claimed the country would obtain the European Union membership candidate status in December with “100 percent guarantee” and “despite attempts of the radical wing” of the domestic opposition.