Georgia's “rapid” EU integration hinges on meeting bloc conditions - Ambassador
The EU Ambassador said he was optimistic the work on the conditions would be expedited and conducted “inclusively”. Photo: EU in Georgia press office
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Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday said he hoped a “prompt initiation” of accession talks between the country and the bloc could be facilitated, stressing the pace of the transition was contingent upon Tbilisi’s fulfilment of the nine conditions set out by the European Commission in November.
The Commission recommended the European Council to grant Georgia the EU membership candidate status with the conditions that range 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 also include ensuring a systemic approach to deoligarchisation, additional efforts for depolarising the domestic political environment and improvements to the Parliament's oversight function.
In his press comments, the EU Ambassador said he was optimistic the work on the conditions would be expedited and conducted “inclusively”, following the Council’s move last month to grant Georgia the requested status.
Herczynski stressed obtaining the candidate status was “not the final step”, but marked “only the beginning of the challenging journey that Georgia must undertake for EU membership”.
[The bloc] anticipates that the work [for meeting the conditions] will be accelerated, inclusive, and constructive. I sincerely hope that we can swiftly move to the next stage, initiating negotiations on accession to the EU”, he said.
The Georgian Parliament will on Monday host a working meeting with the engagement of the MPs from the ruling Georgian Dream party, representatives of the domestic opposition and the civil sector over the implementation of the conditions.
The meeting comes following the Government's unveiling in late December of an action plan for meeting the conditions.
Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Saturday said his “personal New Year’s wish did come true” and Georgia was starting 2024 as an EU candidate country.
The Government of Georgia on Monday revealed an action plan designed to fulfil the conditions outlined by the European Commission in November, a prerequisite for initiating accession talks with the European Union.
Charles Michel, the European Council President, on Thursday said the Council granted Georgia the European Union membership candidate status.
The European Commission on Wednesday issued the recommendation for the European Council to grant Georgia the European Union membership candidate status.
Rati Ionatamishvili, a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Saturday said the party’s decision to host a working meeting with the engagement of the representatives of the domestic opposition and the civil sector over the implementation of the priorities set out by the European Commission in November was “a demonstration of responsible attitude” of the GD party.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday said he anticipated a “productive exchange” with domestic opposition and members of the civil sector on the work for the nine conditions outlined by the European Commission in November for opening the European Union accession talks with Tbilisi after the latter’s obtaining the bloc’s candidacy in December.
Givi Mikanadze, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday denounced the opposition Lelo party for not joining a meeting between GD, domestic opposition and the civil sector on Monday for discussions on the work to meet the nine conditions outlined by the European Commission in November for opening the European Union accession talks with the country.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Friday commended “very promising” initial statements by Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate presented by the ruling Georgian Dream party for the position of the Prime Minister, as part of his commitment to advancing the country’s EU integration progress through implementation of the conditions for opening accession talks with the bloc.