Time in Tbilisi: May 18, 2024 18:17
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Thursday said the country’s application for European Union membership was the result of the “tireless” and “unwavering” efforts of the Georgian people aimed at “regaining a place in the family” of European nations.
Darchiashvili noted that the application for European Union membership had made Georgia's Independence Day, marked on May 26, “special”.
While the formal submission of the application is a procedural step, it is the result of a long, tireless and unwavering effort of the Georgian people, which aims to regain a place in the family of European nations,” the top Georgian diplomat said.
Darchiashvili stressed Georgia had gone through a “long struggle” for survival and protection of its cultural and religious identity.
The Georgian FM also spoke about the support for Ukraine by noting Georgia “stood with” Ukraine in all international forums to protect its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity amid the Russian invasion.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday attended the opening ceremony of the Global Security Forum in Bratislava, the Government Administration said.
The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Thursday said that by deepening ties with the European Union and regional partner states Georgia had a “potential” to strengthen its security and "provide peace and stability" in the Black Sea region and beyond.
The priorities of Georgia-European Union cooperation, reforms implemented in the country for approximation to EU standards, and the “dynamic process” of implementation of the 2014 Association Agreement were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and the European Commissioners for Transport, Crisis Management and Environment.
The new initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron on forming an alliance of non-European Union states is “not an alternative” to the European integration process for Georgia, Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili said on Wednesday.
The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the members of his Government’s delegation attended the gala dinner and the award ceremony at the Global Security Forum on Thursday.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Friday said the country had made “significant progress” on its European integration path and expressed hope the European Union would make the “correct decision” and grant it the EU member candidate status.
This is not the time for the European Union to “look critically” at Georgia, Ukraine or Moldova when a “political decision” on the countries’ membership bids are to be taken, Shalva Papuashvili, the Georgian Parliament Speaker, said on Friday.
The European Union membership questionnaire submitted by the Georgian Government, the progress made by the country on its European integration path, and relevant reforms were discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and the European Union Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic.
The cooperation between Georgia and Slovakia and the ways to further deepen relations were discussed on Friday in a meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his Slovak counterpart Eduard Heger.
The Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said it was a “crucial time” for the European Union to decide whether Europe “stood with its partners” by granting Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova the member candidate status.
In the “long process” of European integration, Georgia has to have “strong national unity,” and to “uphold” European values of democracy, human rights, equality and the rule of law, Swedish Ambassador Ulrik Tidestrom said on Friday.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday said the country’s European partners recognised the results achieved in its path of European integration.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Monday hosted Ulrik Tideström, the Ambassador of Sweden to Georgia, and conveyed his congratulations on the occasion of Sweden’s National Day.
Maka Botchorishvili, the Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Union Integration Committee, on Tuesday discussed the country’s bid for EU membership with members of the Dutch Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee as part of her working visit to the Netherlands.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Wednesday said granting the European Union member candidate status to the Associated Trio countries of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova was not a “technical or bureaucratic” question but a “very important geopolitical decision”.
If the European Union makes a decision on Georgia’s membership bid based on “facts and merits”, the country “truly” deserves the candidate status, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Shalva Papuashvili said on Wednesday in an interview with Imedi TV.
The Georgian Government has “proved” its loyalty to the European Union and “honestly fulfilled the order of country’s citizens” by concluding the 2014 Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU, reaching the 2017 deal on visa-free travel with the Union, and submitting the ongoing formal bid for EU membership, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Monday.
Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili on Tuesday held a farewell meeting with Carl Hartzell, the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, with the latter’s diplomatic term in the country coming to a close.