Georgia’s place “in EU”, bloc “should correct” its mistake – Hungarian Parliament Speaker

László Kövér, the Hungarian Parliament Speaker, on Monday said Georgia’s place was “definitely in the European Union” and the latter should “correct its mistake” made last year, when the European Council granted Georgia a European perspective with conditions to obtain the candidate status, while Ukraine and Moldova received the EU’s full candidacy with conditions. 

 

Pledging his Government’s “vocal support” for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic goals, the visiting official  stressed “Georgia not only deserves the status, in every sense it is a part of Christian Europe. It is the second oldest country in Christian Europe. Christianity is the foundation of Europe in general”. 

 

He also highlighted the importance of Georgia’s acceptance into NATO and said “West should guarantee Georgia’s security, and NATO is the only way to guarantee security in this region”. 

 

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, who hosted the official, thanked Hungary for its “firm and unconditional” support for Georgia’s EU integration and stressed the strategic cooperation signed last year reflecting “close bilateral ties”. 

 

He said the discussion also involved Georgia’s implementation of the EU candidacy conditions and prospects to further upgrade trade, energy and economic ties.