EU ambassador vows bloc’s “steadfast support” for Georgia’s integration ahead of candidacy decision
Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday spoke about Georgia’s integration prospects and rural development in the Parliament. Photo: Georgian Agriculture Ministry press office
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Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday pledged the bloc remained “steadfast” in its support for Georgia's integration ahead of the European Council decision this week on the country’s candidacy.
Addressing an event for the unveiling of the publication titled Georgian Agriculture Sector: Transformation and Last Decade’s Development Trends at the Georgian Parliament, the domestic media cited the diplomat as saying the decision was expected to transfer Tbilisi to a “new integration phase”.
He highlighted "today, we are on this common path” of integration, before pledging the EU's backing for Georgia's agriculture and lauding its “notable” adherence to EU food product quality regulations and standards, which he said had led to an increase in Georgian exports to the bloc.
He noted the EU supported Georgia's agriculture and rural development strategy through the European Neighbourhood Programme for Agriculture and Rural Development over the past decade, and added it was the “flagship of EU aid to Georgia”, currently in the fourth stage of cooperation.
The Programme is run under the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area deal, signed with the Association Agreement between the sides in 2014.
The Ambassador also stressed the importance of addressing the concern of “generational renewal” in rural areas, adding the agricultural sector needed “specific attention to maintain the sustainability of food producers and leave no one behind".
Hailing the “excellent quality of Georgian fruits, vegetables and food products”, the diplomat expressed hope for their increased visibility in the EU market and added the bloc’s agricultural policy reform “should support this process”.
He also noted the EU would “undoubtedly back [the] integration into the European market" as the country approached membership.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Sunday expressed his satisfaction that the Georgian Government had "promptly" submitted an action plan on the implementation of the nine priorities set out by the European Commission for the country’s European Union membership candidate status to Brussels.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party in the Parliament, on Tuesday said his party was joining the calls by Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, who earlier urged domestic opposition groups to join the Government's work for meeting conditions for the country’s European integration.
Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Tuesday said the bloc was "looking forward" to seeing improvements in conditions for doing business in Georgia.
The cooperation between Georgia and the European Union was discussed on Wednesday by Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party and Paweł Herczyński, the EU Ambassador to the country.
Georgia’s Ministry of Economy on Wednesday said the European Union-Georgia Association Committee in Trade Configuration, a governing body for the implementation of Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area of the Association Agreement between the sides, had praised the fulfilment of the obligations undertaken by the country under the deal signed in 2014.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party and Gert Jan Koopman, the Head of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission, on Wednesday reviewed Georgia’s European integration path.
Members of the European Parliament on Wednesday called on the European Council to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status and open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina after taking “certain steps”, in the Council’s meeting to be held on Thursday and Friday.
Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday highlighted Georgia’s “achieved success” and said the country was “doing well” and was on “the right path”.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Wednesday expressed confidence the European Council would grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status this week, commending the Government for its “dedicated” reform efforts.