EU Ambassador lauds Georgian PM’s first visit to Brussels

Paweł Herczyński, the Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, on Friday said it was “really impressive” that the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze had selected Brussels as the destination of his first foreign visit this week.

In his remarks, Herczyński noted the EU-Georgia Association Council meeting was “very successful”, with “very substantial, open and frank” discussions.

“The atmosphere was actually like within a family. I am really glad that it was the first time when Georgian representatives visited the EU headquarters [with the status of] Georgia being a candidate country for EU membership”, he said.

What Josep Borrell said was loud and clear, that doors to the European Union are open, but it is for Georgians to walk through those doors. We all know nine steps [outlined for opening accession talks with the country]. The second step is free and fair elections as well as a free and fair electoral process, [and] of course, we will be monitoring very closely”, Herczyński continued.

Kobakhidze on Friday said his visit to Brussels this week had “made it possible to discuss all points” around the work for meeting the priorities outlined by the European Commission for accession talks.