PM: European Commission President “positively evaluates” Georgia’s progress on European integration path

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said that at the meeting with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the latter had “positively evaluated” Georgia’s progress in implementing the 12 priorities outlined by the European Union for granting its candidate membership status.

In his comments to the media, Garibashvili noted that the Commission President had vowed to “do her best to adequately assess” Georgia’s progress.

Her [von der Leyen] call was to continue the reforms, [...] of course, our entire team, the authorities are fully mobilised, we are committed and fully agree that this process [implementing EU recommendations] will come to an end”, the PM said.

The Head of the Government added he had informed the European Commission President about the recommendations already implemented, noting the Parliament had applied to the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe for legal opinions on several documents.

At the meeting held on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in Granada, Garibashvili also discussed increased polarisation over the matter of the candidate status in Georgia with von der Leyen and stressed granting the status to the country would “automatically and dramatically” reduce the polarisation.

Garibashvili also criticised domestic opposition who “have been sabotaging” the European integration process by “spreading speculations and misinformation” and said all the reforms required for the status were carried out by the Government, stressing the opposition “has done nothing” in this process.