Bulgarian National Assembly Adopts Resolution in Support of Granting Candidate Status to Georgia
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, October 16, 2023
The National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria adopted a resolution supporting the granting of candidate status to Georgia during the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilia Darchiashvili, to Sofia.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the declaration was initiated by two former prime ministers and was supported by both parties in the coalition.
"The declaration firmly supports the European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Georgia, which is based on the historical choice of the Georgian people and which will be an additional guarantee of the country's security. The document states that broad public support for Georgia's geopolitical choices makes the country's European integration an alternative.
In addition, the declaration condemns the occupation of Georgian territories by Russia.
In the document, the Bulgarian side once again expresses its unwavering support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia and emphasizes the role of Georgia as an important partner country in the South Caucasus and the Black Sea region.
The declaration mentions that Bulgaria attaches special importance to stable and successful neighbors, especially given the current security environment in the Black Sea region.
At the same time, Bulgaria expresses its readiness to support Georgia in the way of the implementation of democratic reforms," the statement reads.
Maria Gabriel, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria acknowledged the significant progress that Georgia has made in its efforts to integrate into the European Union and stated that she expects that this progress would be recognized in the European Commission's upcoming report.
Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of maintaining open and intensive dialogue and of sharing Bulgaria's stance with other European Union member states concerning Georgia's European perspective:
"I would like to confirm the decision made by the European Union in June 2022 regarding granting a European perspective to Georgia. Georgia has made significant progress on the path of integration into the European Union. We expect that this progress will soon be reflected in the European Commission's report. It is important to maintain the level of intensive dialogue and share Bulgaria's position with other EU member states regarding Georgia's European perspective," stated Maria Gabriel.
