US Ambassador - EU candidacy recommendation “big step” for Georgia’s European integration path

Robin Dunnigan, the Ambassador of the United States to Georgia, on Friday said the European Commission’s report that last week recommended the European Council to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status was a “big step” for the country.

In an interview with Imedi TV, Dunnigan said being a member of the EU meant being a member of “firm Western democracy”, and noted it would be “very good” for increasing living standards of Georgian citizens as being a member of the bloc also implied higher income, salaries and pensions, and less unemployment.

• European Commission recommends granting Georgia EU membership candidate status

The diplomat said she hoped the Council would make a “positive decision” with the final decision, which she said was “up to Europeans”, and noted her Government “warmly welcomed” Georgia into the “family of democratic nations” and of “freedom of choice” and “economic success”. She also noted Georgia had recently achieved “great success” in the economy.

Dunnigan noted the Commission’s recommendation also included nine steps for receiving the candidate status and start accession negotiations, and added “unity and joint” work were “very important” for reaching the outcome. She added the US was committed to working with the Georgian Government, citizens and civil society for the purpose.

The Ambassador also stressed the US would work with the Georgian Central Election Commission, the country’s authorities and civil society, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and international partners to ensure “free, transparent and fair” parliamentary elections next year, and called citizens’ knowledge of votes being “properly counted and heard” as an “important part” of democracy.