Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday told German chancellor Olaf Scholz his country was expecting the obtaining of the European Union membership candidate status by the end of this year, the government press office said. 

Garibashvili briefed the chancellor on his office’s efforts to meet the 12-point conditions outlined by the EU last year for granting the status to Georgia in a Berlin meeting. 

The PM also highlighted the “critical importance” of the EU-member states’ support for the country’s EU integration, the press office said.  The close partnership and friendly relations between the two countries have also been noted at the meeting, the government administration said, adding the PM thanked Scholz for his “open support” to Georgia.