Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili are pursuing an “active foreign policy” as they work to advance Georgia’s EU Candidate Status bid and alleviate the concerns of EU member-states on the bloc’s enlargement.
The Prime Minister attended the Global Security Forum in Bratislava last week and used the platform to stress that Georgia has “thoroughly fulfilled” all its commitments and promises to the EU and stated that he believes that the EU will reach a wise and prudent decision. “I believe that there are wise, prudent politicians in the EU, and they will also make a wise, prudent and legal decision,” Garibashvili said.
Former Foreign Minister and newly appointed Georgian Ambassador to the United States David Zalkaliani commented on the Prime Minister’s trip, stating that Georgia is expecting a “historic decision” and requoted the Prime Minister by saying that “‘only Russia will be happy’ if the EU does not grant candidate status to Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.”
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Darchiashvili met with EU officials in Brussels and traveled to European capitals to discuss Georgia’s bid and alleviate the concerns of partners within the block. Commenting on his conversations, the Foreign Minister said that there is a consensus on Georgia’s European integration progress and that he is actively working to assure the concerns of EU partners.
“All our partners, of course, recognize the results that our country has achieved in recent years on the path to European integration, and this process will continue in the future. Our partners in bilateral formats recognize Georgia’s European prospects and we are talking to them on how to accelerate this process,” the top Georgian diplomat said, adding, “We are also actively working with the relevant skeptical [EU] countries to show them the opportunities that our country has created through the active reform agenda and to express the expectations that we have.”