Ruling party head: Gov’t will not “relax” on back of EU candidacy with membership “ultimate goal”

Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said the Georgian Government was “not going to relax” on the back of the European Council’s decision on Thursday to grant the country the European Union membership candidate status, as membership in the bloc was the “ultimate goal” of the authorities.

Kobakhidze said “everything will be done” to advance the country in European integration “in the shortest possible time” following the candidacy decision.

“The nine priorities set out by the European Union must be fulfilled in the near future”, he noted in reference to the conditions for Georgia to open accession talks with the EU.

Naturally, everything will be done to move forward in the direction of European integration in the shortest possible time, to open negotiations for Georgia, and, the ultimate goal [...] is to join the European Union”, the party official added.

He also stressed the outcome of the candidacy application was a “very big victory” for Georgian citizens, who he said were the “main protagonist” who had “earned” the status for the country.

Kobakhidze also thanked the Georgian Prime Minister, the Government, the EU and United States ambassadors in Georgia for their involvement and efforts in the process.

The official also singled out Pawel Herczynski, the EU Ambassador, who he said had done “a lot for us to be able to celebrate today”.