PM to Silk Road Forum: Georgia deserves EU membership candidate status
In his address to the fourth edition of the Forum, Garibashvili said his Government was expecting a “far-sighted and fair” decision from Europe on Georgia’s membership candidate status bid. Photo: Government Administration
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday told the opening event of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum the country had a “worthy place” in Europe and “deserved” the European Union membership candidate status.
In his address to the fourth edition of the Forum, Garibashvili said his Government was expecting a “far-sighted and fair” decision from Europe on Georgia’s membership candidate status bid.
I want to emphasise that Georgia has a rightful place in Europe – Georgia deserves the EU candidate status! We are optimistic that the European Commission’s upcoming assessment of Georgia’s progress will clear the way for a favourable decision on the candidate status at the end of this year.
Joining the family of European nations has always been important for Georgia, and the achievements of the Government - such as the Association Agreement with the European Union, the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the visa-free travel with the European Union - are truly remarkable; and, of course, all this confirm the geopolitical priority, including the European perspective, which was confirmed in June last year”, Garibashvili told the Forum.
The PM stressed his Government was “optimistic” the country’s progress would receive a “positive” assessment from the European Commission that “will pave the way for us to become a candidate country”.
He also added receiving the status would “truly be a joint effort” of “our citizens and the Government”.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday said the European Union membership candidate status would be received by the Government on behalf of the country’s citizens, as the bid for the status had been “made on their behalf” in 2022.
The importance of “further deepening” the existing relations between Georgia and Montenegro was discussed on Thursday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his Montenegrin counterpart Dritan Abazović.
The Tbilisi Silk Road Forum will strengthen regional cooperation, strengthen and improve investments, Roberta Casali, the Vice-President of the Asian Development Bank, said at the opening event of the fourth edition of the event on Thursday in Tbilisi.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday told the opening event of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum the country understood the “cost of war” and recognised the “value of peace”.
Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, on Thursday arrived in Tbilisi with his delegation to open the fourth edition of the Silk Road Forum hosted in the Georgian capital along with counterparts from Georgia, Azerbaijan and Montenegro and the Vice President of the Asian Development Bank.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday told the Global Gateway Forum the country remained “determined in its choice to align” with the European Union and its values, “despite the challenges Georgia faces”.
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov on Wednesday arrived in Georgia to participate in the fourth edition of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, set to run in the Georgian capital between Thursday and Friday.
Dritan Abazović, the Prime Minister of Montenegro, on Wednesday arrived in Georgia for featuring in the fourth edition of the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum, an event set to host thousands of representatives from 60 countries between Thursday and Friday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said Georgia – positioned as a “natural” bridge at the crossroads of Europe and Asia – was transforming into a multi-dimensional regional hub, while his Government had invested “significantly” in modernising infrastructure, enhancing connectivity and fostering “efficient” trade routes.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday hosted heads of delegations participating in the Tbilisi Silk Road Forum at a gala dinner, the Government Administration said.
The Georgian foreign office on Saturday said the leaders of the member states of the European Union adopted a document reaffirming their support to Georgia on its European path in the European Council meeting on October 26-27.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Sunday, said she expected “a positive decision” on the country’s European Union candidate status, as Georgia “has made every effort” to fulfil the 12 priorities outlined by the bloc for granting its status.