NATO official: 2024 will be “critically important” for Georgia, expecting country to complete EU priorities
He stressed the importance of carrying out relevant reforms for the implementation of the EU recommendations, noting by fulfilling them Georgia would also “meet the requirements” of NATO. Photo via Parliament of Georgia
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Javier Colomina, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Tuesday said granting membership candidate status to Georgia by the European Union was “a historic moment” for the country, as well as for the international community, noting 2024 would be “critically important” for Georgia in this regard.
At a press briefing as part of his visit to Tbilisi, Colomina emphasised he was expecting Georgia to take nine steps, outlined by the European Commission for opening EU accession talks with the country.
He stressed the importance of carrying out relevant reforms for the implementation of the EU recommendations, noting by fulfilling them Georgia would also “meet the requirements” of NATO.
The progress achieved by Georgia in “some of the most important reforms” was also highlighted by the NATO official, adding there was “clearly room for improvement”, especially in judicial reform, depolarisation and deoligarchisation.
Colomina also pointed out the “good meetings” with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, President Salome Zourabichvili and Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, adding he would also meet Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday hailed his country as one of NATO’s “most dependable” and “capable” partners in a Tbilisi meeting with Javier Colomina, the Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia of the bloc’s Secretary General.
Juansher Burchuladze, the Georgian Defence Minister, on Tuesday met Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, to discuss domestic defence reforms and progress achieved in strengthening the country’s capabilities and increasing its compatibility with the bloc.
Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Thursday congratulated the Georgian authorities and citizens on the European Commission’s recommendation for the country to be granted the membership candidate status.
Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Wednesday said the alliance was “fully committed” to Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations, the “open door” policy and the decision taken at the NATO 2008 Bucharest Summit, where the bloc had pledged Georgia and Ukraine would become its members.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Tuesday said the country’s progress attained in the European Union by receiving the EU membership candidate status implied advancement in NATO as well, as interconnected to each other, despite them being two separate organisations.
Priority matters of NATO-Georgia “political and practical” cooperation were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Javier Colomina, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Javier Colomina, NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, on Sunday lauded the alliance’s “very good relations” with Georgia and stressed the bloc was motivated to make the existing partnership with Tbilisi “as strong as possible”.