Ambassador lauds “very promising” comments by Georgia’s PM designate on EU integration work

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. 

In his press comments, the diplomat stressed the pace of implementation of the conditions, as outlined by the European Commission in November and approved by the European Council in December through granting Tbilisi the EU membership candidate status, rested upon Georgia's political elite. 

The conditions 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. They also include ensuring a systemic approach to deoligarchisation, additional efforts for depolarising the domestic political environment and improvements to the Parliament's oversight function. 

Pointing to the importance of ensuring an “inclusive process” with the participation of “all political actors” for meeting the priorities, the Ambassador said he hoped for a “constructive involvement” of domestic opposition groups and the “full engagement” of the civil sector even with upcoming parliamentary elections in October. 

Herczynski also affirmed the EU’s readiness to collaborate with “all Georgian administrations” and PMs, and expressed optimism for “continued success” in cooperation with the incoming government under Kobakhidze, echoing the “fruitful partnership” with the outgoing head of the Government.

The Georgian Parliament is scheduled to vote on the new PM and his cabinet composition next week.