Ruling party head “confident” Georgia will join EU before Ukraine, Moldova
In his remarks over the prospect of opening accession negotiations with the bloc, Kobakhidze noted the decision “must be made” in 2024. Photo: Georgian Dream Press Office
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Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday expressed the ruling team’s confidence the country would join the European Union before Ukraine and Moldova.
In his remarks over the prospect of opening accession negotiations with the bloc, Kobakhidze noted the decision “must be made” in 2024.
Last year, we deserved not only the candidate status, but also the opening of negotiations. We hope that a fair decision will be made [this time]”, he said in reference to the European Council’s 2022 decision to only award the country a European perspective, before this year’s conclusion on granting it the membership candidate status.
“We have proven that no matter what turbulent political processes we go through, in the end we manage to achieve the goal - this was shown very well in the case of candidate status”, Kobakhidze added.
“There were difficult processes that we concluded with success. We can make the same promise to the public regarding the opening of negotiations. We are sure that we will join the EU before Ukraine and Moldova”, he concluded.
The European Council last week decided to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova and grant the membership candidate status to Georgia.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Friday awarded Teimuraz Janjalia, his Deputy, and Vakhtang Makharoblishvili, the country’s Ambassador to the European Union, with a prize recognising their contributions to the work that ensured the country received the EU membership candidate status last week.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Wednesday said the results of the work of the Georgian foreign office were “apparent”, particularly in the country being granted the European Union membership candidate status last week.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Wednesday asserted the country’s authorities were committed to fulfilling the “historical mission” of the country’s European integration, a task he said had been “entrusted” to the authorities by the people.
Charles Michel, the European Council President, on Thursday said the Council granted Georgia the European Union membership candidate status.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said the ruling party would hold the convention next week to review its general policy and preparation for the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Friday said Georgia could close accession negotiations with the European Union, once the bloc would open it with the country, “much more rapidly” than any other country.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday commended the “shared commitment” of his Government and the country's public in obtaining the European Union membership candidate status this month.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said Georgia would be “completely ready” to become a member of the European Union by 2030.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's Committee on Human Rights, on Sunday responded to the latest ranking of the Eastern Partnership Index, which placed Georgia third in EaP, following Moldova and Ukraine, by saying it was “a sabotage” orchestrated by “certain non-governmental organisations”.