2018-02-07
As Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili stated during today's Government meeting, the recent meeting of the Georgia-EU Association Council in Brussels unanimously emphasized Georgia's role as the EU's key strategic partner in the region, as well as the country's positive steps toward integration.
According to the Prime Minister, the annual meeting discussed the results of the Action Plan's implementation, the reforms under the Association Agreement and the DCFTA, steps taken and measures to be implemented in economic cooperation, and the state of security affairs in the region.
"As usual, our delegation at the meeting was led by the Prime Minister; and the EU was headed by High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. We had long thematic discussions, and we have positive results in every direction defined in the Action Plan, and this is the EU's assessment. It is important that our country is committed to following this plan which will ultimately bring about much higher standards of living in Georgia, also greater integration into Europe and the West, and a higher level of security, of course. It was pointed out in one voice that Georgia is the EU's main partner in the region, and that Georgia has taken very positive steps toward integration. We set plans for the future that greatly transcend the agenda under the Association Agreement, and it is much more ambitious. Of course, the EU commends the fact that we are implementing an ambitious, exhaustive action plan, and significant progress is achieved in every direction. We also discussed the security situation. The EU remains Georgia's consistent and staunch supporter, an advocate of our territorial integrity and sovereignty. Importantly, we spoke about steps to be taken in the future, and the EU's greater engagement in conflict resolution. We have very interesting plans, and we hope that Georgia's steps seeking to build trust, increasing economic activities with the Abkhazians and Ossetians will yield significant results, and the EU's engagement is extremely important in terms of implementing our offers," the Prime Minister stated.
According to the Head of Government, the Council's meeting also singled out Georgia's vital role in the energy industry.
"Prospects of Caspian oil and gas passing through Georgia to Europe are quite high, and we expect new interesting projects in this direction as well. Importantly, the whole country-not just the Government but the people as well-must be committed and motivated about this agenda, because this path leads Georgia to prosperity, and it will surely bring about tangible results for every citizen," Giorgi Kvirikashvili emphasized.
According to the Prime Minister, an equally interesting meeting was held with European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström. As it was agreed during the meeting, the EU will consider certifying Georgian businesses.
"We offered to review the issue of certification case by case, so that the enterprises can land their products in the EU market before the country completes implementing institutional and systemic reforms. It will be very important in terms of motivating companies, so that we may have success stories, and that they may tap into the potential offered by free trade with the EU. We have received a principled consent, and we are about to launch procedures that will offer our entrepreneurs access to the European market in the shortest period of time. In my opinion, it is a vital achievement, and I hope that we will complete these procedures successfully very soon," the Prime Minister underscored.
Prime Minister's Press Office