PM Gharibashvili meets with Hungary's PM Viktor Orban
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, October 28, 2022
The Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Gharbiashvili along with the government delegation arrived in Hungary for an official visit.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that the European Union's decision to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, but not to Georgia, was discriminatory and disrespectful to the country.
"We all know that a very bad decision was announced in Brussels. I would say that this decision was discriminatory, when the candidate status was granted to Moldova and Ukraine, and not to Georgia. This cannot be morally justified and is a harmful decision. Our guest and this country deserve the candidate status. Because they have been working very hard in recent years and this decision was disrespectful to Georgia, the Georgian nation, and the Georgian state.
We will continue to support Georgia so that it receives candidate status and joins the European Union as soon as possible. We will be able to do this with expert help, 16 Hungarians are working on Georgian issues within the European Union, and we are doing everything to start negotiations in this direction soon", said Viktor Orban.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili responded to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's assessment that denying Georgia candidate status in Brussels was a very bad decision:
"We appreciate your evaluations related to the decision made by the European Council. I also want to say that it was important for us to give a European perspective", said Irakli Gharibashvili at a joint briefing with the Prime Minister of Hungary." Gharibashvili said.
According to him, the prime ministers signed the declaration of strategic partnership, which will deepen the cooperation between the two countries.
"Today we signed the declaration of strategic partnership and I believe that the already existing close cooperation and friendship between us will be further strengthened and will give an additional impetus to Georgian-Hungarian relations. I want to tell you, Mr. Prime Minister, how much we personally appreciate your support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of our country.
You have always been and are a loud supporter of Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, and your messages are always important to us. We appreciate it very much. We appreciate your comments related to the decision made by the European Council. I also want to say that it was important for us to be given a European perspective," Gharibashvili said.
According to Gharibashvili, the government is working on 12 recommendations, which were determined by the European Council and the European Commission. According to him, non-governmental organizations and the opposition wing are involved in the process.
"We are doing our best to get Georgia status as soon as possible. I also want to say that today we have to live and work in very difficult times, governments have a great responsibility towards their people and the country," he said. Gharibashvili also told Viktor Orban that he respects Orban's politics.
