PM: Opening negotiations used same way as instrument to blackmail our country as candidate status used before

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said, “Today, opening negotiations is used exactly the same way as an instrument to blackmail our country and divide society, as the candidate status was used before.”

The PM believes “This is also a completely artificial phenomenon, especially since the date of opening negotiations is not at all dependent on the accession date.”

“The critical question is not when we start negotiations but when we conclude them. Georgia began its negotiations for the Association Agreement, free trade agreement, and visa-free regime later than Ukraine and Moldova, yet achieved success earlier or simultaneously with both. Montenegro and Serbia opened their negotiations in 2012 and 2014, respectively, but this did not expedite their European integration at all. Turkey had talks that the EU commenced in 2005 but had completely suspended in 2016,” the PM stated on Thursday.

Today, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a decision not to place the issue of opening accession negotiations with the EU on the agenda until the end of 2028. “We will also reject any budgetary grants from the EU until that time. By the end of 2028, Georgia will be economically ready to initiate negotiations for EU membership in 2030.”