Ready to help Georgia on EU integration path, “we welcome you with great joy” - Croatian Parliament official
Dretar stressed he believed Georgia would be able to “successfully” go through with the European integration path, “there is no better alternative”, he noted, adding “only friendship, peace and cooperation can bring prosperity to Europeans”. Photo via Davor Dretar/Facebook
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Davor Dretar, the Head of the Georgian Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Croatian Parliament, on Tuesday expressed readiness to help Georgia on its European integration path, noting “we welcome you with great joy”.
We are waiting for the European Council [decision on granting Georgia the European Union membership candidate status next month], though we know there will be the consent [on Georgia’s candidacy]”, Dretar said.
The official emphasised the difficulties Croatia had faced on the EU path before the country joined the bloc in 2013, and said “transformation” was necessary for EU membership, adding every country wishing to become a member “is required to have an absolutely high standard in politics, democracy”.
Dretar stressed he believed Georgia would be able to “successfully” go through with the European integration path, “there is no better alternative”, he noted, adding “only friendship, peace and cooperation can bring prosperity to Europeans”.
Domagoj Hajduković, the Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Croatian Parliament, on Tuesday said European Union structures granting the bloc’s membership candidate status to Georgia was an example of them “correcting the injustice” around last year’s decision that only gave the country a European perspective.
Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, on Tuesday said he hoped the bloc’s member states would share the recommendation of the European Commission and make a “positive” decision on granting Georgia the membership candidate status next month.
The European Commission’s recommendation to the European Council to grant the country the European Union membership candidate status was discussed on Friday at a meeting of the EU Integration Commission of Georgia led by the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.
Andrej Plenković, the Croatian Prime Minister, on Friday pledged his Government's support for Georgia’s European Union membership candidate status later this year, and noted the European Commission’s forthcoming report in early November, which will evaluate Tbilisi’s efforts to meet the candidacy conditions, would be a “main element” in the process.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday highlighted “opening of a new chapter” on the country’s European Union integration path.
Georgia’s road to the European Union is one of the priority directions for the country, “if not the most important one”, Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, said on Wednesday at the Conference titled Georgia’s Road to the EU.