Georgian FM: EU membership long, hard process

Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani says that Georgia will have to meet a range of criteria to become a member of the EU following the country officially submitting its application for this last week. 

 

“Today, as never, public unity is in need,” he said.

 

After Georgia submitted its application for EU membership the European Commission will prepare an opinion (Avis) which takes an average of one year, but it is expected that the decision will be accelerated in the case of Ukraine.

 

Preparing an opinion means evaluating the applications of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova  according to the Copenhagen criteria: political readiness, economic readiness and readiness to take on the obligations of EU membership.

 

Given the practice, the European Commission is likely to send special expert missions to the countries to assess the political criteria.

 

A special questionnaire will also be sent to these three countries, which is quite large – an average of 2,500 questions to be answered by the government.

 

On this basis, the Commission will draw a conclusion and submit it to the Council of the European Union, which must unanimously grant  the EU candidate country status.

 

It is likely that Ukraine will receive this status soon, while Moldova and Georgia will be given the status of potential candidates.

 

In both cases, the status of a potential candidate or candidate means that Georgia takes its historic way for EU membership. 

 

Ukraine was the first which applied for EU membership amid hostilities in the country, stating that it deserves the candidate state status earlier than Georgia or Moldova despite, according to reforms and readiness, Georgia is far ahead.