Georgian PM discusses country’s EU candidacy prospects with EU Council president in Brussels

Georgian prime minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday discussed his country’s prospects in obtaining the European Union membership candidate status by the end of this year with Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, as part of his Brussels trip. 

 

The PM briefed the EU official on the Georgian authorities efforts to meet the 12-point conditions outlined by the bloc in June 2022 for granting the status to Georgia, after Michel’s office granted the candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, while Georgia could obtain only an European perspective. 

 

Garibashvili told Michel his office had been in “constant consultations” with the institutions and member states of the EU, as well as with the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe and OSCE/ODIHR to meet the conditions and gain the status, the government press office said. 

 

He also claimed most of the recommendations had been implemented and according to the achieved progress, Georgia deserved the candidate status at the end of this year.

 

Garibashvili also commended the current Georgian government for making “key agreements” with the bloc while in office, which included the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Area Deal, visa free travel and the European perspective. 

 

The officials also discussed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and its impact on the South Caucasus region. 

 

Georgia applied for EU membership in March 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, instead of scheduled 2024.