PM Garibashvili: EU Council decision deserved, govt set to address priorities for candidacy

The Georgian Dream government is ready to address the priorities set by the European Commission for the country to receive the candidate status in the short run, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said on Friday at a special briefing.

 

He urged the opposition to “work together to overcome polarization,” noting that without their engagement and eagerness, the condition for the EU candidate status over a non-polarized political environment, would not be fulfilled.

 

Garibashvili stated that the European Council decision on Thursday to grant Ukraine and Moldova European perspective and candidate status, while Georgia had only European perspective was “deserved” and was a “historic decision” which meant that the EU door was open for the country.

 

He suggested that Georgia “had motivation” to address the issues “in the shortest term possible,” as the “European leaders promised giving the status immediately once Georgia addressed the priorities.”

 

Responding to the question on de-oligarchization, which is one of the conditions to address, Garibashvili stated that the demand was raised towards all the three countries – Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, and pledged that the authorities would take measures for this.

 

However, he once again dismissed the opposition’s continued allegations, as well as the note in the recent European Parliament resolution, that the founder of the Georgian Dream party, retired politician Bidzina Ivanishvili, was running the country from the backstage.

 

He praised Ivanishvili for his “huge contribution to the country” and charity.

 

Garibashvili dismissed reports over his possible resignation.