Parliament Speaker “ready” to promote “bridges of cooperation” between Western Balkans, Eastern Neighbourhood
Papuashvili made the remark as an interparliamentary conference between Georgia and the Western Balkan countries on European integration, hosted on Monday by the Georgian legislative body. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
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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.
Papuashvili made the remark as an interparliamentary conference between Georgia and the Western Balkan countries on European integration, hosted on Monday by the Georgian legislative body.
“I am glad that today, in the Parliament of Georgia, we are discussing the enlargement of the European Union - a strategic investment in the peace, stability, security and economic growth of the entire Europe”, Papuashvili said.
Glad to host first Georgia-Western Balkans Inter-Parliamentary Conference on European integration at @Geoparliament. Building bridges of cooperation between Western Balkans & EU’s Eastern neighborhood will help us learn from each other's experiences, support each other & jointly… pic.twitter.com/jP06PakPz9
— Shalva Papuashvili ???????? (@shpapuashvili) February 5, 2024
The chief Georgian legislator said the challenges faced by the Western Balkan countries on the European integration path were also “interesting” for Georgia.
We understand that joining the European Union is a long process that requires patience and hard work. In this process, it is important to study the best practices of those countries that have been following this path for years and have gained valuable experience in converging with EU standards”, Papuashvili noted.
He added it was “important” for the countries to progress on the EU path and receive more access to “freedoms” provided by its single market, which he said would “more tangible results to our citizens”.
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the candidate for the position of the Prime Minister of Georgia, on Tuesday said the ruling Georgian Dream party was “ready” to “single-handedly” meet the nine priorities outlined by the European Union for opening accession talks with the country.
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.