Chairman of European Integration Committee Addresses Inter-Parliamentary Conference on EU Security and Defense Issues
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
At the inter-parliamentary conference held in Bruges, Belgium, on issues of the European Union's unified foreign and security policy and defense policy, Maka Bochorishvili, the chairman of the European Integration Committee, addressed her colleagues regarding the issue of EU expansion.
"It is significant that we are discussing the issue of EU expansion at the EU Security and Defense Conference. Today's discussion proves that the secure future of the European Union lies in our unity. Ensuring this unity requires the expansion of the space of peace and prosperity-the European Union-without delay," said Bochorishvili.
Bochorishvili thanked the EU member states for their support and for granting candidate country status. She discussed Georgia's progress and the challenges facing the country.
"Georgia's struggle for independence and sovereignty has been ongoing for more than 30 years. Despite Russia's aggression and its illegal occupation of Georgian regions, we have managed to transform the country and place it among the ranks of democratic states. However, we still have a long way to go before reaching the final goal. We are committed to the necessary reforms and need the support of our allies and partners even more on this path," said Bochorishvili.
The Chairman of the European Integration Committee emphasized the importance of the effectiveness of the EU enlargement policy and the implementation of economic and political integration mechanisms in the EU for candidate countries.
"In today's complex, changing, and unpredictable world, time is very precious, and wasting it on incorrect perceptions and formalities would be a significant geopolitical mistake. "For the success of the enlargement policy, negotiations on EU membership with the candidate countries should begin immediately," Bochorishvili stated.
