EU Commissioner Várhelyi Advocates EU Candidacy Status for Georgia After Council Meeting
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, December 13, 2023
After the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign and European Affairs of the EU member states, European Commissioner for Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi stated that both Georgia and the Georgian government have done their work, and therefore, Georgia should be granted the status of a candidate.
According to Várhelyi, his message to the Georgian people and the government is to keep working toward success.
"This is a strategic decision that the leaders must make themselves. Our proposals are very clear: we believe that Georgia has come a long way, and both Georgia and the Georgian government have done their work. Therefore, Georgia should be granted candidate status. We will see if the European Council will confirm this. My message to the people of Georgia and the government of Georgia is - keep working. This is the best recipe for success," said Várhelyi.
After the meeting, Várhelyi stated that this is a pivotal year for EU enlargement policy, expressing satisfaction that they not only submitted a proposal to the Council but also witnessed decisions being made.
He stated that the Council's final decisions, made that day, are crucial not only for any progress in the enlargement policy but also for the advancement of enlargement itself.
"I think that the conclusion of the Council largely confirmed the comprehensive report that we presented to the Council regarding the 10 candidate countries. For the first time, we have 10 countries to report on. I believe that our reports and recommendations regarding the merits of the countries have been considered by the Council. I think it also shows that the work that has been done with the council is getting results. Of course, we now have to see how this will be reflected in the strategic decision of the leaders, which we all expect this week. We hope that they will also agree, which will be a strong message confirming the commitment of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia to the prospect of EU membership," stated Várhelyi.
