On Friday 2 December, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini welcomed the progress made by Georgia since the Association Agreement with the EU came into force on 1 July 2016.
At a press conference with Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili after an EU-Georgia Association Council, Mogherini said that over five months, enormous progress has been made in all domains, from political to economic and trade issues and cooperation in foreign and security policy. Over the 2014-2017 period, the EU has or will devote an average of 100 million euros a year on supporting the political, judicial and economic reforms laid down in the Association Agreement and Association Agenda.
The High Representative added that the EU supports the ‘highly impressive’ economic reform agenda undertaken by the government. The Georgian prime minister said that his country would remain a reliable security partner for the EU and was prepared to expand its cooperation in order to jointly manage ‘all security challenges.’ Georgia is already part of the EU’s crisis management missions.
In a joint statement, the Association Council welcomed the implementation of full reforms in the justice domain, calling for consolidation of the progress already achieved. It underscored that the general elections in October had given rise to genuine competition, had been well-managed and fundamental rights had ‘generally’ been respected. It warned that the strong parliamentary majority has a responsibility to boost democratic institutions, consolidate pluralist democracy and move forward with reforms.
The joint statement, echoed by Mogherini and Kvirikashvili in statements to the media, also noted the importance of visa-free travel for Georgian passport-holders and the country’s territorial integrity (see EUROPE 11680). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)