Page 35 - GEORptSep21

Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova sign joint declaration committing to EU integration
The leaders of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova signed a declaration on July 20 in Georgia's Batumi committing to EU integration.
This comes amid a growing rift between the EU and Georgia over recent political developments, with tensions high over the ongoing government response to extremists who violently forced the cancellation of the Tbilisi Pride event.
The presidents of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, Salome Zurabishvili, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Maia Sandu, respectively, signed in the presence of European Council President Charles Michel a trilateral cooperation declaration on European integration, in which the heads of state pledge to work together for a “peaceful, democratic and prosperous European future” for the three nations.
The declaration, signed symbolically in the ancient Petra fortress, located on the Black Sea coast near Batumi, highlights that the “accession to the European Union is a goal that unites our three states. European integration has no alternative for our countries and no third party could influence this sovereign choice.”
It reaffirms an “unwavering commitment to advance further the process of our integration into the European Union through comprehensive reforms to strengthen our democratic institutions, and to progressively approximate our legislation in the relevant sectors with key elements of the EU acquis.”
“Backed by the strong will of our peoples to become a part of the European family, we stand united in our determination to work towards achieving acknowledgement of the European perspective for Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine opening the way for future membership of our three states in the EU,” the declaration highlights.
Pledging to make full use of the Association Agreements, the three signatories vow to work to identify concrete priorities in the areas of common interest to enhance political dialogue and advance on economic and sectoral integration with the EU, in particular in the areas of transport, energy, digital transformation, green economy, justice and home affairs, strategic communications and health care.
The document reiterates “constant support” for the Eastern Partnership platform based on shared ownership, mutual commitments and principles of differentiation and inclusivity. It says the three states will work together with other interested partners and EU institutions in order to ensure that the Eastern Partnership develops a strategic forward-looking agenda and remains a strong and effective policy.
The three countries also pledge to cooperate with the European Union on common security and defence policy (CSDP), including on countering hybrid threats, strengthening cyber resilience, fighting disinformation, developing cooperation platforms with the EU’s relevant agencies and services, and to participate in CSDP missions and operations and bring contribution to the EU’s efforts towards peace in the world.
Touching upon the Black Sea security, the three states pledge to engage with Black Sea partners in order to “jointly promote the sustainable development of the region, as well as make full use of the opportunities that the Black Sea provides for wider and secure connectivity between Europe and Asia.”
35 GEORGIA Country Report September 2021 www.intellinews.com