Hungary’s PM tells Georgia “we need you in EU very much”
In his remarks with the media, Orbán noted Georgia had done a “great job” on its European integration path. Photo: Government Administration
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Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday highlighted his “devotion” to Georgia's European Union membership on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in Granada.
In his remarks with the media, Orbán noted Georgia had done a “great job” on its European integration path.
I am the most devoted supporter of your country’s EU membership. It’s totally unfair that you are not promised to become [a member] as soon as you can because you have done a great job. We need you [in the EU] very much”, he said.
Orbán noted an “enlargement fatigue” inside the bloc, and called the development “totally unfair to Georgia”.
The Hungarian official added that he and members of his Government would visit Georgia’s capital city of Tbilisi next week.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó on Tuesday said Georgia “must receive” the European Union membership candidate status this autumn, as the Georgian Government had “done everything” for the outcome.
Georgia’s Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday met with his Hungarian colleague Péter Szijjártó and attended an annual meeting of Hungary’s ambassadors, where he told the diplomats his country’s European aspirations had “never been as strong as today”.
The existing relations between Georgia and Hungary, as well as the prospects of future cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral formats, were discussed on Thursday by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán.
Péter Szijjártó, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary on a visit to Georgia, on Thursday noted the Georgian Government’s work to preserve the country’s sovereignty amid increasing external pressure.
Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on Friday said her meeting with the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit in Granada had reviewed Georgia’s “progress” on the European integration path.
Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, arrived in Georgia on Tuesday on an official visit alongside his wife and representatives of his Government, the Georgian Government Administration said.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday hosted his visiting Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán and his wife at a dinner in Bioli wellness resort near Tbilisi, where the officials discussed “friendly ties and partnership” in an informal environment before their scheduled official meeting on Wednesday, the Government press office said.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Wednesday said Hungary was expected to be “vocal” in voicing its support for Georgia’s European integration at the Council of the European Union, the bloc’s key decision-maker, ahead of the EU’s decision later this year whether to grant Tbilisi its membership candidate status.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday said his Government was “very disappointed and angry” at the European Council’s 2022 decision not to grant Georgia its membership candidate status while granting it to the countries that were “far behind” in terms of their qualifications.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday said Georgia was ready to receive the European Union membership candidate status.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the Georgian Dream ruling party, commenced a four-day visit to Hungary on Tuesday for meetings with the country's top officials, as announced by the party's press office.