EU Ambassador: significance of Georgia’s recognition as potential future EU member “cannot be underestimated”
In a farewell video message marking the end of his service in the country, Hartzell and his spouse thanked Georgians “for having invited us to be a part of Georgia”, noting “Georgia will always be a part of us”. Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia
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The European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell on Wednesday said the significance of the formal recognition of Georgia as a potential future member of the EU could “not be underestimated”.
In a farewell video message marking the end of his service in the country, Hartzell and his spouse thanked Georgians “for having invited us to be a part of Georgia”, noting “Georgia will always be a part of us”.
Georgia is a wonderful and unique country. You are standing on the shoulders of giants, your ancestors who fought for your country, its traditions, its culture, its language, its heritage”, the address told citizens of the country.
“Last month the European Union recognised Georgia’s European perspective, Georgia’s belonging to the family of European nations. Of course, you already knew that Georgia was a European country and so did I and many other friends of Georgia. But still the significance of this formal recognition of Georgia as a potential future member of the European Union cannot be underestimated”, Hartzell said.
After four unforgettable years in Georgia, the time has come for us to leave. Thanks for having invited us to be a part of Georgia. Georgia will always be a part of us. pic.twitter.com/gSP63LbKUe
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) July 20, 2022
The EU diplomat stressed that despite the “struggles” still lying ahead, “we feel privileged to have witnessed this historic moment, with a conviction that you will succeed in seizing the opportunities it offers”.
Not only because you have proven so many times in history that you will not accept to be held back, but because Georgia is resting on Europe’s foundation, you have even been part of defining what today are called European values and you have it in you to contribute to making Europe even stronger”, the Ambassador noted.
“The energy and spirit you have here is breathtaking. And when the day comes that all this energy is projected in the same direction, you simply will be unstoppable”, he concluded in his comments.
United States Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan on Friday called the 12-point conditions of the European Council “the ticket for Georgia getting its candidate status” and said their fulfilment was the “priority” for the Georgian people.
Peter Stano, the spokesperson for the external affairs of the European Union, on Friday said Georgia would “get everything it had been promised” from the EU on the membership candidate status.
European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell on Thursday said it was "very important for everyone in Georgia to realise” that the EU’s decision to “open the door” to Georgia with the European Council’s move to grant the country the European perspective was a “truly historic” moment.
A delegation of the Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament will visit Georgia next week to discuss its annual report on the Association Agreement between Georgia and the European Union.
The fact that “serious work” on the implementation of the 12-point conditions outlined by the European Union to Georgia for membership is underway and both the ruling party and the opposition have presented their plans has “given us great hope”, David McAllister, the Head of a European Parliament delegation said in a joint press conference with Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili in Tbilisi on Wednesday.
The European Union will transfer €20.87 million to support the implementation of "key reforms" in various sectors of the Georgian economy, from economic and business development to rural advances and food safety, the EU Delegation to Georgia announced on Thursday.