Parliament Committee Chair: path towards EU membership “neither quick nor easy”
Botchorishvili made the remark as an interparliamentary conference between Georgia and the Western Balkan countries on European integration is being hosted on her initiative on Monday in the Georgian legislative body. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
Tweet 
Share
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament's European Union Integration Committee, on Monday said the path towards the country’s European Union membership was “neither quick nor easy”.
Botchorishvili made the remark as an interparliamentary conference between Georgia and the Western Balkan countries on European integration is being hosted on her initiative on Monday in the Georgian legislative body.
Our countries ???????????????????????????????????????????????? have many things in common, but the most important thing that unites us today is our goal – to become members of the European Union ????????@Geoparliament #EUIntegration#westernBalkans pic.twitter.com/tjD8cDio1z
— Maka Botchorishvili (@MakaB__) February 5, 2024
In her remarks over the event, the lawmaker noted the experience of the countries of the Western Balkans region, the processes they had gone through and the challenges they were facing were “of interest to us”.
Today, the Parliament of Georgia is hosting parliamentary delegations from the Western Balkan countries for the first time. I would like to thank the visitors for coming to Georgia and participating in today's meeting. Our countries have many things in common, but the most important thing that unites us today is the goal of becoming members of the European Union”, Botchorishvili said.
“The countries of the Western Balkan region have been in the process of joining the European Union for a long time. Naturally, their experience is particularly interesting and important for us. The idea of today's meeting is exactly this: to learn more about each other, to share experiences, to discuss matters that will help us achieve the common goal of membership in the European Union”, the Parliament official continued.
She added the parliamentary meeting would be “one big step forward” for deepening relations between Georgia and the countries of the Western Balkan region.
Lavdrim Krrashi, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Albanian Parliament, on Monday said Georgia “in some aspects” was “much ahead” compared with other European Union membership candidate countries.
Paweł Herczyński, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Monday said Georgia had an “advantage” over countries of the Western Balkans in the process of its integration into the bloc.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Monday said the door of the European Union had “never been so wide open”, adding it was up to each aspiring member country to “make the most of this opportunity to move forward”.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the candidate for the position of the Defence Minister, on Monday said European integration was “creating the best conditions for the peaceful development and reunification” of the country.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday expressed the legislative body’s “readiness” to promote building of “bridges of cooperation” between the Western Balkans and the Eastern Neighbourhood of the European Union.
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.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for the position of the Prime Minister of Georgia, on Thursday said the Government’s “well-defined” plan for ensuring the country’s European Union integration involved fulfilment of the nine priorities set out by the European Commission in November for the purpose.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, on Thursday expressed his readiness to work with the country’s new Prime Minister and selected ministers in order for the country to succeed on the path of its European integration.
Mark Clayton, the British Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday said his Government was a “strong supporter” of Georgia’s NATO integration process.
A parliamentary delegation from countries of the Western Balkan region on Tuesday visited the central Georgian village of Odzisi to observe the administrative line separating the Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region from the rest of the country.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Tuesday said the country was committed to strengthening its role as the European Union’s “reliable” energy transit partner, supplier of green energy and a “key” actor in the transport axis.