Georgian FM Pays Working Visit to Brussels
On July 18-19, Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili paid a working visit to Brussels where he met with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Oliver Varhelyi and Director-General – Directorate-General Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (NEAR) Gert Jan Koopman.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the purpose of the visit was to assess the process of Georgia’s accession to the European Union, to discuss the current agenda of Georgia-EU cooperation, and to determine future steps. Officials acknowledged Georgia’s efforts in the context of the EU enlargement policy, as reflected in the country’s report and the European Commission’s oral assessment. The parties reviewed the progress in implementing the 12 priorities set by the European Commission. The reforms Georgia undertook in various areas to meet these priorities were positively assessed, according to the Ministry.
“Both sides positively assessed the various aspects of cooperation between Georgia and the EU and noted the high dynamics in the current year. They paid particular attention to sectoral and economic integration efforts and discussed future plans. The strategic role of Georgia in terms of connectivity was underlined and the transit projects implemented within the framework of the Middle Corridor Concept were praised. The security environment and geopolitical challenges in the region were also discussed” states MFA.
The meetings included an exchange of views on the necessary steps for Georgia’s integration into the European Union. Officials expressed hope that the European Commission’s Enlargement Report would accurately reflect the progress made by the country.
Commissioner Varhelyi twitted regarding the meeting: “Minister Darchiashvili assured me that progress on the 12 priorities is well on track.”
Gert Jan Koopman highlighted the upcoming review, scheduled to take place next month in Tbilisi, where both parties will come together to assess and discuss Georgia’s reforms implementation.
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