Three opposition MPs pledge to join Gov’t’s work for further EU integration

Three opposition MPs on Friday pledged their commitment to join the Government's work for the country’s further integration into the European Union, after the European Council granted Georgia the bloc’s candidacy the previous day. 

Teona Akubardia, Khatuna Samnidze and Tamar Kordzaia made the reveal following the EU body’s decision on the status, with Samnidze, a leader of the Republican party who in October accused unspecified opposition leaders and groups of “hampering” the country’s EU integration, stressing the significance of “meeting citizens' hopes” for their European future.

In a joint briefing of the MPs, she urged a commitment to dialogue, constructive cooperation, and avoidance of animosity “in the pursuit of progress”. Despite potential challenges, the lawmaker claimed she remained optimistic about the “inevitability of progress”, stressing the status transcended “political affiliations” and represented a decision for the country's future.

This status belongs to the country. We are aware of our responsibility and intend to seriously engage in this process within the framework of our mandate, which means cooperation and working together. It will be a difficult process, but today is not the day to talk about problems", Samnidze said. 

Akubardia commended citizens of the country for taking a “significant step” towards Europe with the decision of the European Council and expressed gratitude to all individuals involved in the process, while also extending congratulations to Ukraine and Moldova for opening accession talks with the bloc. 

She highlighted the need to prepare for the next phase, which the MP noted involved accession negotiations and ultimately joining the EU, emphasising the importance of implementing “complex reforms” and fostering unity.

This is the cherished dream, the dream that our ancestors had. This is due to everyone. Today is a day of celebration, but we need to start preparing for the next process", Akubardia said.

Kordzaia echoed her colleagues' sentiments, highlighting the “substantial work” still ahead but viewing it as a “necessary process” through which the country would achieve results in the future.

As we move forward, there is a lot of work ahead, but work is a process, and through this process, the Georgian people will achieve results in the future", she said. 

The European Council’s approval for Georgia’s candidacy came following the European Commission’s positive recommendation in November, which came with nine conditions for the Government, ranging from efforts to combat disinformation and foreign information manipulation about the EU and its values, to further alignment of the country’s foreign and security policies with the bloc, to reforms in the judiciary, electoral and human rights areas.

The conditions, set out for Georgia to open accession talks with the EU as the next stage of integration, also include ensuring a systemic approach to deoligarchisation, additional efforts for depolarising the domestic political environment and improvements to the Parliament's oversight function.