Brussels, 21/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 21 March, the Georgian government welcomed the Commission's progress report published on Wednesday (see EUROPE 10811). In a press release, the government highlighted that this report has taken into account the deepening of relations with the EU (progress made, inter alia, in the association agreement and on visas), as well as the broad reforms and efforts being made to alleviate tension in the Caucasus region. The government said that it was “encouraged” by this document. In a press release, the chairman of the Georgian parliament's European integration committee, Viktor Dolidze, stressed that “we are very pleased to see this report vindicate our reform efforts and are confident of ever-closer ties with the European Union, which we consider vital to our national interests”.
According to Dolidze, the observations made by the commissioner for neighbourhood policy, Stefan Füle, that things are moving in the right direction in Georgia, “support our conviction that we all on the right track towards opening political dialogue and establishing a national consensus for reforming the government and country”. (CG/transl.fl)