Prime Minister Gharibashvili and EU Ambassador Highlight Georgia's European Aspirations at EU Day Celebratory Event
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, May 8, 2023
During the celebration of Europe Days, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili expressed his belief that the European states will make the right political decision this year by granting Georgia and its people the status of a candidate.
According to Gharibashvili, the government has made significant efforts over the past decade to strengthen Georgia's ties with Europe, bringing the country closer to Europe.
The prime minister expressed his 'sincere admiration' for the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski's impressive fluency in Georgian and conveyed gratitude for addressing the public in the Georgian language.
Prime Minister Gharibashvili emphasized that throughout history, Georgians have consistently seen themselves as an inseparable part of Europe, leading to their clear aspiration of achieving full membership within the expansive European family.
"You know that in the last 10 years, our government has done a lot to bring our country even closer to Europe. I remind everyone once again that it is the merit of our government that signed the association agreement, the free trade agreement, the visa-free regime and the European perspective.
As you are aware, over the past decade, our government has taken substantial measures to enhance our country's proximity to Europe. I would like to reiterate that it was through the efforts of our government that we signed the association agreement, the free trade agreement, the visa-free regime, and initiated the European perspective. These achievements serve as a testament to our unwavering commitment to align ourselves with the European Union and work towards building a stronger relationship with our European counterparts.
We understand very well that more work needs to be done and more reforms need to be implemented in order for the country to attain candidate status and move closer to Europe.
I believe that our European friends, the European states, will make the singularly correct political decision this year by granting candidate status to Georgia and its people. Our country, people, and government deserve this recognition. While we recognize that granting this status is a symbolic gesture, we understand its immense importance as a significant decision.
Once again, I would like to emphasize the complete readiness of our government to continue implementing the necessary reforms for the benefit of our country and its people. Furthermore, these reforms will bring us even closer to our European friends and society," Gharibashvili said.
Prime Minister Gharibashvili stated that Georgia shares numerous common values with Europe and its people, and these values, according to him, are rooted in Georgian Christian heritage.
According to the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, in his statement to the media, 70 years ago, countries came together to safeguard peace, prosperity, and freedom. Presently, Georgia is presented with an opportunity to join this collective effort.
"We gathered to celebrate Europe Day, which Georgia sees from a European perspective. This is a great success. The next stage is to obtain candidate status, which will bring Georgia even closer to EU membership," Herczynski said.
Pawel Herczynski stated that almost seven decades ago, the independent, sovereign, and free nations of Europe made a pivotal choice to come together and speak as a unified entity, aiming to preserve peace, prosperity, and freedom across Europe.
Pawel Herczynski stated that with the current 27 member states of the European Union, European leaders have decided to expand Europe, with Georgia being a potential candidate country. Georgia has already been granted a European perspective, which was a historic achievement, and the EU expects further progress based on how reforms are implemented in the country.
The EU Ambassador to Georgia stated that the goal of becoming a united, safe, and economically strong member of the European family is supported by the vast majority of Georgia's population, and he believes it is a historic opportunity for the country.
