On Tuesday 20 February, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, called on Georgia - which was granted candidate status for EU membership in December - to speed up its reforms.
“You have to accelerate the implementation of reforms, including those in the Association Agreement, to meet the nine steps of the European Commission’s recommendations”, the High Representative stressed to the Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, at the end of the EU-Georgia Association Council in Brussels.
Mr Borrell pointed out that Georgia had “the asset of a dynamic civil society” and that it was important for everyone to be on board. “This requires decisive steps to decrease political tensions”, he warned.
The High Representative also called for the country’s alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy to be accelerated.
Mr Borrell also encouraged Tbilisi to redouble its efforts to combat the manipulation of information and foreign interference. In view of these risks, he called on Tbilisi to finalise the electoral reforms undertaken “well before the next elections, taking into account all the relevant recommendations of the Venice Commission and ODIHR for free, fair and competitive parliamentary elections”.
Beyond reforms, Mr Várhelyi highlighted the EU’s investment and economic plan, which has already resulted in €1.9 billion of investment in Georgia, and the ongoing project for high-speed Internet and electricity cables in the Black Sea. He also felt that Georgia had made sufficient progress to be able to benefit from the end of roaming charges and that it was making progress in its integration into the Single Euro Payments Area.
Mr Kobakhidze hoped that Georgia would become a member of the EU “at least by 2030”. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)