Page 11 - GEORptSep22

2.7 Georgian PM puts brave face on European Commission decision not to grant candidate status
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili tried to put a brave face on Georgia's failure to secure EU candidate status from Brussels, saying that the country would work towards being given the status.
Last week the European Commission did not recommend giving Georgia candidate status – while allowing Ukraine and Moldova to go forward – because of the country's democratic deficits.
Garibashvili said on 20 July before the government meeting that the European Commission has taken a "historic decision", as for the first time in Georgia's history a European perspective has been recognised.
"Now, as soon as the Council (EU) approves these recommendations, we will, of course, start working with Brussels," he said, adding that "most of these recommendations are already on our agenda, there are other issues that we, of course, will find out with Brussels, we will work it out and get the status of a candidate."
Garibashvili added that "the majority of citizens still have certain questions about why Moldova and Ukraine received more encouragement", and explained that "Moldova and Ukraine have an absolutely identical record in connection with the prospect" and claimed that it was because of the war that these two countries received candidature as 'prepayment'.
"This is an encouraging advance for Ukraine, which is in a state of the most difficult war, and for Moldova, which is also in a very difficult situation," he said. "Ukraine is in a difficult situation. It has already lost 20% of the territories, and the war continues," Garibashvili said, adding that "Moldova, which borders Ukraine, is also in a very difficult situation in terms of both economic and security risks. Our European colleagues told me, and I openly said that Ukraine is given this status because it is in a state of war. A few days ago, European leaders publicly confirmed the fact that this decision was made because Ukraine is at war, and in private conversations with me they also said that Moldova is also in a very difficult situation," he said.
"I don't really envy neither Ukraine nor Moldova. I would like to congratulate our friendly Ukrainian and Moldovan peoples on this success. I want to wish them peace and the unification of the country," Garibashvili concluded.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has been criticised for eroding democracy since it took power in 2012.
The European Parliament recently passed a resolution calling for sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream's founder and its former prime minister, for his alleged links with Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime. Ivanishvili made his fortune in Russia before Putin's rise to power. Georgia has refused to join sanctions on Russia.
Garibashvili called the resolution "biased" and criticised the MEPs, who, according to him, showed irresponsibility and insulted the Georgian people, "80% of whom are in favor of uniting our country with Europe". Garibashvili
11 GEORGIA Country Report September 2022 www.intellinews.com