Moving closer to EU brings greater prosperity, security - US Ambassador

The Ambassador stressed the EU member states were interested if Georgia shared the same “commitments, values, and principles” of the European family, including dedication to freedom and respect for human rights. Photo via US Embassy/Facebook

Agenda.ge, 09 Feb 2023 - 21:27, Tbilisi,Georgia

Moving closer to the European Union brings greater prosperity and security for Georgia, for that reason Georgian people have been working towards the European future and European family, which the country has always been a part of, the United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan said on Thursday.

In an interview with the local news agency InterPressNews, Degnan noted the task regarding the 12 points for Georgia’s European candidate status was brought to the Government by the Georgian people, who “made it very clear” that a European future was their choice.

She stressed that “every single leader” in Georgia should work “intensively” on the reforms required to get the candidate status later this year, as it would bring “tremendous benefits” to Georgian families, youth, entrepreneurs, etc.

I think some progress has been made, obviously. We've heard from the EU representatives themselves that there is more work to do, [...]. This is a process of showing to the European member states and to the people of Georgia, that this Government and the country’s leaders are committed to democratic reforms”, Degnan noted.

The Ambassador stressed the EU member states were interested if Georgia shared the same “commitments, values, and principles” of the European family, including dedication to freedom and respect for human rights.

To the interviewer's question to “specify” the directions needed to be fulfilled for Georgia to get the candidate status, the US official responded that the EU would answer the question, as they were the ones evaluating the country. Degnan added she could “clearly” say that Georgia needed “more inclusive processes” to bring together the stakeholders and to show a “unified” Georgia working towards European integration.