MP Makhashvili: Georgia is doing its domestic work, political situation will mature for constructive EU membership discussions

“Georgia continues its work, which contributes to the path of European integration. Sooner or later, we will sit around the table and discuss the issues related to EU membership,” Levan Makashvili, Chair of the Georgian Parliament’s European Integration Committee, told the First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcaster.

Makashvili was asked about a report by Politico stating that the European Union is preparing proposals under which the four countries considered closest to EU membership — Montenegro, Ukraine, Moldova and Albania — would receive a clear, step-by-step roadmap toward accession. The report is based on comments from two senior European Commission officials involved in drafting the proposals.

According to Makashvili, Georgia continues to face what he described as unfair treatment, although he said this was not surprising given the current state of relations between Georgia and Brussels.

“We have a clear message: Georgia continues its work, which contributes to the path of European integration. Sooner or later, we will sit around the table and discuss the issues related to EU membership. Until then, we are not surprised by such an attitude toward Georgia. Unfortunately, we are seeing incorrect approaches.

At one point, Brussels bureaucrats punished Georgia — people whose agenda was dictated by war. The country tried to keep the state away from the turmoil. That is why it was punished. You remember the drama: ‘We will give you candidate status under this or that condition.’ All of this is temporary political noise, because Georgia is doing its domestic work, and the political situation will mature to the point where we will be able to discuss the future of EU membership constructively,” Makashvili said.