Georgian PM tells Hungarian counterpart Gov’t has ensured “open, transparent, inclusive process” for EU candidacy conditions
The Georgian PM hosted his Hungarian counterpart on Wednesday. Photo: Government press office
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday told his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán his Government had ensured an “open, transparent and inclusive process” for the implementation of the conditions outlined by the European Union last year for granting Tbilisi its membership candidate status.
In their Tbilisi meeting, Garibashvili highlighted the country was expecting a “fair” and “merit-based” decision from the bloc in December, before stressing the upgrade of bilateral ties between the countries to a “relatively new level”, the Government press office said.
Have the privilege to host ????????'s @PM_ViktorOrban with the high-level delegation in ????????.Our nations share a longstanding multidimensional partnership & strong bond of friendship.Highly grateful for your steadfast support for????????'s European aspirations in this decisive period! pic.twitter.com/4eqcnkZzcv
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) October 11, 2023
Extending his gratitude to Orbán for his office’s “unwavering support” for Georgia’s European integration, the head of the Georgian Government pointed to “joint efforts” to further strengthen cooperation and promote ties by “high-level meetings”.
Garibashvili also said the holding of an intergovernmental council meeting in Tbilisi as part of the visit was a “practical implementation” of the declaration on strategic partnership signed between the countries last year.
The officials also discussed economic partnership and noted the trade turnover between the countries had increased by 21 percent this year and amounted to $46.62 million, and indicated “great potential” to “fully use” the potential of economic cooperation.
Garibashvili said his country was interested in attracting investments in renewable energy, logistics and tourism, before reviewing the Black Sea submarine electricity cable connecting the South Caucasus region and Europe.
He also noted the implementation of flagship projects initiated by Georgia was “vital” for using the “full potential of energy and achieving common goals in energy security”.
Orbán arrived in Georgia on Tuesday and was hosted by Garibashvili at a dinner, before an official welcoming ceremony was hosted at the Government office early on Wednesday.
Ilia Darchiashvili, the Georgian Foreign Minister, on Wednesday said the ongoing visit of Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, to Georgia expressed the country’s “strong support” for Georgia’s European integration ahead of the bloc’s forthcoming decision on Tbilisi’s candidate status later this year.
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.
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.
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.
Nunuka Tamazashvili and Anikó Lévai, the spouses of Georgian and Hungarian prime ministers, Irakli Garibashvili and Viktor Orbán, on Wednesday were hosted at Georgian artist David Kakabadze’s enamel and goldsmith workshop.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday hailed Viktor Orbán, the visiting Hungarian counterpart, as an “exemplary leader and politician” at a dinner hosted at Tsinandali Radisson Collection in eastern Georgia, while also extending his gratitude for “true friendship” and “firm support” for his country’s European integration.
Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Foreign Minister, on Thursday said the European Union had treated Georgia “unfairly” by granting its candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova but not to Tbilisi last year.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday slammed the European Union’s “unfair rejection” of the membership candidate status for his country last year, and stressed his Government was expecting a “just, rational” and “merit-based” decision on the status later this year.
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.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said the first intergovernmental summit between his country and Hungary marked a “historic day” in bilateral ties, while also praising Viktor Orbán, the visiting Hungarian PM, as a “true friend” of his country and a “firm supporter” of Tbilisi’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and territorial integrity.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, together with his spouse Nunuka Tamazashvili, on Thursday hosted visiting Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán and his spouse Anikó Lévai in the historical estate of the 19th-century Georgian nobility - Tsinandali Estate in the country’s winemaking Kakheti region.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday claimed members of the domestic opposition had “attacked” Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian Prime Minister, during his visit to Georgia this week due to his support for Georgia’s European integration and “adequate values”.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday said Georgia was ready to receive the European Union membership candidate status.