Prime Minister’s Press Conference on EC Recommendation related to Georgia’s EU Candidacy

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili held a press-conference after European Commission President Ursula Von Der Layen announced the recommendation of the European Commission to grant Georgia the EU candidate status granted it fulfils nine conditions.

Garibashvili thanked the international leaders and called the European Commission’s decision “historic.”

“This period has been very busy…we have done an enormous amount of work,” – Prime Minister said. According to him, the European Commission has issued a “clear and unequivocally positive report,” and this decision to recommend Georgia’s EU candidacy “is based on the achieved results.”

Garibashvili also noted that all issues related to the 12 recommendations for Georgia had been clarified with European leaders prior to the EC’s decision. “In a very short period of time, we have managed to complete almost all the recommendations of our European partners,” – he said. 

He also said that the Government of Georgia will continue dialogue and cooperation with European partners. He added: “despite many obstacles, resistances, sabotages, provocations and many destructive actions, joint, coordinated actions of internal and external enemies, we will win, our country, our people, the truth has won.”

As Garibashvili pointed out, the European Commission’s recommendation, as a “victory” and a “well-deserved decision,” belongs to the Georgian people, whose representative is the government. Garibashvili recalled the European Commission’s refusal to grant Georgia candidate status last year, calling the decision “disappointing” and “obstructive.” He added that he believes that Georgia will be granted candidate status in December. 

Garibashvili praised the work of the Georgian government and his ruling Georgian Dream party, under whose administration he said “peace, stability and transformation and changes on the path of EU Integration” have been achieved. He noted that if any government has done something tangible on the road to European integration, it is the Georgian Dream, recalling in particular the Association Agreement, then visa liberalization, free trade, the European perspective, and finally the candidate status that the PM believes Georgia will receive in December. He also mentioned and praised Bidzina Ivanishvili, as a founder of the “Georgian Dream.”

Garibashvili called today’s decision by the EC “the only right, decent, reasonable and wise decision”. He also said that more needs to be done to achieve full Europeanization of Georgia. Garibashvili noted that the unification of Georgia is the ultimate goal and today’s decision of the European Commission brings the country closer to this objective.

Commenting on the issue of the Georgian opposition’s interpretation that the people deserve the candidate status, but not the government, Garibashvili said that the government is doing everything for the people: “We represent the will of the people and act for them on their behalf.” He also noted: “Downplaying the achievements of the Georgian government is a weak attempt.” 

Garibashvili spoke at length about the opposition, saying that neither the opposition nor the president [Salome Zurabishvili] have done anything on the path of our country’s Euro-integration. He added: “The [European Commission’s] report says very clearly and unequivocally that this recommendation is based on performance… and the performance has been delivered by the government, who are elected by the people of Georgia”.

Garibashvili also commented on the killing of a Georgian citizen near the occupation line near the village of Kirbali, reiterating the GD line that “the occupation is the legacy of the previous government that we are now dealing with.”

Also Read:

• 08/11/2023 – International Reactions on EC Recommendation to Grant Georgia Candidate Status
• 08/11/2023 – EU Ambassador: This is a big recognition from the EU, however Important Work Remains to be Done

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)