Georgia awaiting “historic decision” on EU candidacy - Parliament Speaker
Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said he expected Georgia’s EU candidacy this week. Photo: Shalva Papuashvili’s Facebook
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Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said he was confident the country would be granted the European Union membership candidate status this week in a “historic decision” by the European Council.
In his press comments, Papuashvili claimed "all prerequisites are present, and there is nothing standing in the way for the Georgian people to hear on December 14-15 [about] the decision that recognises the historical truth that Georgia is part of the European family".
Citing “encouraging sentiments” from member states during Monday's Eastern Partnership Ministerial meeting in Brussels, the official said the latest comments were coupled with the positive recommendation from the European Commission last month for the Council to grant Tbilisi the requested status.
The country’s official application for EU membership was submitted in March 2022, against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Having been granted a European perspective in June 2022, Georgia is now poised for a milestone decision by the European Council.
The Commission recommended granting the status to the country on November 8 and set out nine conditions for the subsequent phase of European integration.
The conditions range from combating disinformation and foreign information manipulation about the EU to aligning the country's foreign and security policies with the bloc. Additionally, the reforms extend into the judiciary, electoral processes, and human rights areas.
Key conditions also include a commitment to a systemic approach to de-oligarchisation, efforts to depolarise the domestic political environment, and improvements in the Parliament's oversight function.
Thea Tsulukiani, the Vice Prime Minister of Georgia, on Friday said the anticipated European Union membership candidate status for Georgia this month would “once again solidify” the status of the Georgian Dream Government as the “sole administration” to achieve “genuine progress” for integration into the bloc.
The European Commission on Wednesday issued the recommendation for the European Council to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has praised a “historic day” for Georgia with his signing of the country’s bid for European Union membership on Thursday, saying the move “continues the efforts of our ancestors, which was aimed at unification in a common European family.”
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Thursday said the body had granted the European Union membership candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, and was ready to grant the same status to Georgia once the outstanding priorities outlined by the European Commission were addressed by the Georgian Government.
Georgia’s European integration and regional security matters were discussed on Tuesday in a meeting between Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, and officials of the German Bundestag.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Tuesday highlighted the Hungarian Government’s support for Georgia’s European integration.
Oliver Varhelyi, the European Union Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Policy, on Tuesday said Georgia and its Government “have done their job” and for that they should be granted the EU membership candidate status.
The Council of the European Union on Tuesday welcomed the overall preparation of Georgia to assume obligations of the bloc’s membership.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Wednesday called on his German counterparts to use the term “Russian-occupied territories” with regard to the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
Georgia's accession to the European Union, the security environment in the Black Sea region and the situation in the Russian-occupied regions of the country were discussed on Thursday in a meeting between Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, and Anna Lührmann, the German State Minister for Europe.