Parliament official: even “biggest sceptics” of EU enlargement “strongly support” Georgia’s integration
Botchorishvili also said the support “makes us believe that Georgia will receive the membership candidate status” later this year. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Friday said even the governments who were the “biggest sceptics” of the enlargement of the European Union “strongly supported” Georgia’s integration into the bloc.
Botchorishvili also said the support “makes us believe that Georgia will receive the membership candidate status” later this year.
The lawmaker noted the basis for the Government’s “optimism” was the reforms carried out for fulfilling the recommendations outlined for the status, as well as efforts in the process of European integration since 2014.
“Therefore, as a result of the efforts of our Government, we can reasonably think that Georgia has a reliable standing to be called a candidate country for EU membership”, she added.
During this time, we have implemented very large-scale works, including with partners. For more than a year, we have been holding very intensive consultations with all EU member states, so that the political decision will be beneficial to Georgia”, the Parliament official also noted.
Botchorishvili added there were “often different opinions” regarding the EU enlargement process, but contrasted the particular support for Georgia’s integration with the dynamic.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday claimed “all issues” raised during the September visit of Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative and the Vice President of the European Commission, around the Georgian Government's fulfilment of the bloc’s conditions for granting the country its membership candidate status had been “addressed”.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili will be a “keynote speaker” at the Global Gateway Forum hosted by Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, in Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday, Georgia’s EU Ambassador Vakhtang Makharoblishvili said on Tuesday.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said the country’s legislative delegation had arrived in Prague, the Czech Republic, to express Tbilisi’s support for Ukraine at the Second Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform on Tuesday.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday said Georgia had “proved itself as a reliable partner” for both the European Union and China.
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.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday claimed the presence of a “tireless campaign” by a part of the domestic opposition and “so-called civil activists” “against the European future of the country”.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili will on Thursday feature in a conference on European Union enlargement hosted in Germany’s capital city of Berlin.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said the participation of Georgian Government officials in a conference on the European Union enlargement, set to be hosted by Germany’s capital city of Berlin, would be used to show the country’s partners “not only how much Georgia needs the European Union, but also the European Union itself needs Georgia”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said the party had “optimistic expectations” regarding the country being granted the European Union membership candidate status.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said a delegation from the country would highlight Tbilisi’s “significant” efforts to back Ukraine amid the ongoing war and the Government’s work to implement the conditions for the country’s EU candidacy later this year at the ongoing Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly of Europe in Athens.
Stéphane Sarrazin, the Canadian MP, on Monday lauded the engagement of a Georgian Parliamentary delegation in the ongoing Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly of Europe in Athens, saying the forum was a “good opportunity” for cooperation over topics like Georgia’s EU integration.