Parliament Speaker anticipating “deserved response” on EU candidacy

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday said he anticipated the country would receive a “deserved response” from the European Commission on the European Union membership candidate status for Georgia, ahead of the body’s recommendation for the European Council, expected today.

Papuashvili made the comment by drawing parallels on the recommendation coinciding with the birthday of Ilia Chavchavadze - Georgian publicist, author and a major figure of the country's 19th century national movement - whom he called “one of the most visible defenders and promoters of the [historical] European path of Georgians”.

In his remarks over the date, Papuashvili noted Chavchavadze’s “dream” to see Georgia take a “worthy place” among other nations was “becoming a reality today”.

On November 8, 1837, Ilia Chavchavadze, the defining figure and founder of modern Georgia, was born. It is no coincidence that today Georgia is awaiting the European Commission's assessment regarding its European future”, he said.

“[We hope for a] worthy and deserved [response] as a co-creator of European civilisation, as a nation with the richest culture and traditions, as a special phenomenon emerging at the crossroads of Europe and Asia; first of all, as a state whose main value is the human”, the chief Georgian legislator added.

The European Commission will on Wednesday present its annual enlargement report, which will include an assessment of Georgia’s progress in implementing the priorities outlined by the bloc for granting its candidate status to the country.