FM urges opposition to refrain from “false allegations” on “failed reforms”, avoid harm to EU integration

Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday urged members of domestic opposition groups to refrain from making “false allegations over failed reforms” and hampering the country’s work to obtain the European Union membership candidate status later this year, an objective he called “vitally important”.

In his comments at the legislative body, the FM pointed to the opposition’s refusal to join the Government's work to implement reforms for meeting EU candidacy conditions, and urged them to avoid using the term “failed reforms” “for at least [the next] three or four months”. 

If you do not want to contribute to this process, at least avoid damaging it with your words”, Darchiashvili told opposition lawmakers. 

The European Commission is scheduled to present its final report on Georgia’s implementation of candidacy conditions in early November, according to latest comments by the bloc’s officials. The report will be used by the European Council in December to decide on Tbilisi’s status. 

The Georgian Government officially applied for EU membership in March 2022, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.