Maka Bochorishvili Advocates for Georgia's EU Membership at COSAC Conference
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Chairman of the European Integration Committee, Maka Bochorishvili, participated in the Conference of the European Affairs Committees of the National Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC), held in Budapest under the Hungarian Presidency of the EU. The Parliament's press office disseminated information about her involvement.
In her address, Bochorishvili emphasized the importance of the EU enlargement policy, regional challenges, and Georgia's ambition to join the European Union.
"Amid Russian occupation and its illegal military presence in two regions of Georgia, addressing increased threats without a security umbrella requires special efforts to maintain political stability and economic progress in the country. This ensures that EU membership does not remain a distant dream for Georgian citizens but becomes a reality in the near future," stated Bochorishvili.
She highlighted the significance of EU accession negotiations with candidate countries and stressed the need for a prompt and smooth process for Georgia.
"Georgia has been a candidate country for the European Union since December last year, and we are grateful to the European Council for this decision. However, unlike other candidate countries, we are still awaiting the European Union's decision regarding the start of negotiations. We should immediately take the first steps and begin a dialogue on important issues to achieve our common interests and ensure the success of EU enlargement, which is also crucial for European security and prosperity," Bochorishvili added.
European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Oliver Varhei and Hungary's State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Peter Starai participated in the debate on EU enlargement.
The COSAC chairmen's meeting, hosted by Hungary in Budapest, saw the participation of the chairmen of the European affairs committees from the parliaments of the 27 EU member states and candidate countries, as well as representatives of EU institutions. The meeting was chaired by Zoltan Teshay, chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Hungarian National Assembly. Hungarian EU Affairs Minister János Boka introduced the priorities of Hungary's EU presidency to the attendees.
During the conference, Maka Bochorishvili also held bilateral meetings with representatives of EU member and candidate countries, further discussing Georgia's path toward EU integration and strengthening partnerships.
