Gov’t has ensured “all possible progress” for EU integration - PM
Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili told Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday that the current Government had ensured “all possible progress” for the country’s EU integration. Photo: Government press office
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The Georgian Government has ensured “all possible” progress for the country’s European integration over the past decade, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday at his joint briefing with visiting Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer.
The Government press office cited the PM as pointing to the 2014 signing of the Association Agreement, as well as agreements for a free trade deal and visa-free travel, with the European Union.
He also pointed to last year’s granting of a European perspective to Georgia by the bloc and its provision of priorities for eventually granting the membership candidate status to the country.
Expressing gratitude to the Austrian Government and Chancellor for their “firm support” for his country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and its EU integration aspirations, the Government head stressed the “majority” of the 12 conditions for the candidate status had been “fulfilled”.
He said several bills related to the implementation of the requested reforms had been forwarded to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe for feedback, noting the “complete fulfilment” of the conditions also required the engagement of domestic opposition parties.
For instance, the implementation of the first condition - the depolarisation of the current Georgian political environment - will not be possible without the opposition’s involvement”, the PM said, and noted his office was “always ready” for a “constructive dialogue” with the opposition.
Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said facilitating connectivity projects with Europe was an "important" subject and one of the "clear priorities" of his Government, in a press briefing with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Tbilisi.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday said Georgia was a “very important” economic partner for his country, and pointed to “many opportunities” for attracting Austrian investors, in remarks during his first visit to Georgia.
Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili has signed the application for European Union membership on behalf of the country, noting the “historic day” in his address to citizens.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday welcomed the first visit of the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer to Georgia as “historic”, and pointed to the significance of the development as a confirmation of Austria’s “strong support” for the country.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday highlighted the work of the Georgian Government by saying the country was" moving in the right direction”, in remarks during his first visit to Georgia.
Karl Nehammer, the Austrian Chancellor on a visit to Georgia, on Monday said he was “very happy” Tbilisi had joined “all financial sanctions” imposed on Russia by the European Union for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, despite the presence of Russian occupation troops on Georgian territory.
An Austrian delegation led by Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday visited the Odzisi crossing point in central Georgia, adjacent to the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region, to hear from the European Union Monitoring Mission about developments in the area.
The European Council on Monday published Conclusions on European Union priorities for cooperation with the Council of Europe 2023-2024, with the document noting the future of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and their citizens "lies within the EU”.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Monday discussed relations with the European Union, Georgia’s territorial integrity and the current situation in the Black Sea region with the Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer during the latter's visit to the country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hosted Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and his delegation at an official dinner in central Tbilisi to mark the latter's first official visit to the country.
Principal areas of cooperation between Georgia and Moldova were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Oleg Serebrian, the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration.
The agenda of cooperation in bilateral and multilateral formats between Georgia and Moldova and “traditionally friendly relations” between the countries were discussed on Tuesday by Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Oleg Serebrian, the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration.
Relations between Georgia and the European Union and the implementation of the bloc’s conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between Maka Botchorishvili, the Head of the European Integration Committee in the Georgian Parliament, and Aron Emilsson, her counterpart in the Swedish Parliament.
A new survey released on Thursday by the National Democratic Institute and CRRC Georgia has shown 81 percent of Georgian citizens support the country’s aspirations of joining the European Union, with 73 percent backing NATO integration.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday congratulated the country’s Government on a “positive report” on Georgia’s alignment with the European Union, released by the European Commission on Thursday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said the European Commission’s new report on Georgia had revealed that under an “objective decision” the country should “definitely” receive a European Union membership candidate status this year.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday responded to the newly published European Commission report on the country’s alignment with the European Union by stressing the document had “once again demonstrated” his country deserved the membership candidate status as a “top reformer”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday said he hoped the country’s European partners would consider the results of its implementation of the European Union conditions for granting it the membership candidate status, after the release of a European Commission report that noted its progress in the work.
The “principal” directions of cooperation between Hungary and Georgia were discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Balázs Orbán, the director of the political department of the Prime Minister of Hungary.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday highlighted Georgia’s progress on its European integration path and the latest “positive report” by the European Commission on the country’s alignment with EU laws at the meeting with Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Government Administration said.
Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Friday highlighted the “good discussion” with the Georgian Prime Minister Garibashvili and Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili held on the sidelines of the ongoing Munich Security Conference.