Speaker says nation's goal should not be to initiate EU talks rapidly, but to end them swiftly

20:10, 18.12.2023

“After Georgia was previously denied the EU candidate status, we pursued foreign policy over the last year and a half to persuade our partners that Georgia’s candidate status is the most appropriate decision. I think it has become clear that the Georgian government had the right policy,” stated Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, on Monday.

According to the Speaker, the opposition and some groups of activists were “acting against the nation’s goal.”

“We have a year until the next decision. The only thing I worry about is that, because there will be a pre-election period, the opposition, including some politicised non-governmental organizations, will try to impose a radical agenda. They will strive even harder to demonstrate to the EU the country’s divisions. They tried and failed for a year and a half. I hope they won’t be able to do so again,” Papuashvili remarked.

The Speaker went on to say that “the nation’s goal should not be to initiate talks rapidly, but to end them swiftly.” “If the EU’s political decision matures, they can begin discussions with us today.”

By - Marika Kartozia

Politics

EU candidate status

Speaker Shalva Papuashvili