NATO chief tells Georgian PM to ‘prepare for membership’ – Emerging Europe publishes article under this title.

As the author of the article Craig Turp-Balazs writes, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has told the Georgian prime minister Giorgi Gakharia to “make full use” of all the opportunities to move closer to NATO, and to “prepare for membership”.

“On a high-level visit to Brussels, Mr Gakharia was also reminded however that NATO was counting on Georgia to ensure next month’s elections meet the highest international standards. “This is important for Georgia, and for NATO,” said Mr Stoltenberg”, – the article reads.

As the publication notes, the NATO boss also underlined the importance of Georgia’s continued reforms of its judiciary system and commended the country’s progress in implementing reform aimed at “strengthening democratic oversight on intelligence, security services and armed forces.” He said that Georgia had made good progress in modernising its armed forces and in strengthening democracy.

“Mr Stoltenberg was also keen to reiterate NATO’s support for the restoration of Georgia’s territorial integrity. A fifth of the country remains under Russian occupation” – the author of the article notes.

“NATO supports Georgia’s territorial sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders. We call on Russia to end its recognition of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia and to withdraw its forces,” Stoltenberg said.

“Mr Gakharia meanwhile told the NATO chief that Georgia was ready to “find itself a new role” in ensuring security the Black Sea region.

While in Brussels, Mr Gakharia also met with the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and signed two financing agreements worth 129 million euros which will help Georgia cope with the Covid-19 outbreak and its impact on the country’s economy. The two agreements are part of the EU’s response to Covid-19 under the Team Europe initiative” – the article reads.