Georgia demands EU candidate status

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said a positive decision on a European Union membership candidate status for Georgia could be the “only fair ruling” on the subject.

The official pointed to the bloc’s “unfair and not merit-based decision” last June to only grant the country a European perspective, while Ukraine and Moldova - two other members of the EU’s Associated Trio - obtained the full candidacy with conditions.

He claimed his country was a “leader” of the trio in related criteria and “deserved” the status. 

"The only fair decision can be that Georgia should be at the same level as Ukraine and Moldova. If today they have the candidate status, Georgia should also have it. If [membership] negotiations are opened with them, they should be opened with Georgia as well”, Papuashvii said. 

He also noted Tbilisi was communicating with EU structures on the fulfilment of the conditions outlined by the bloc last year for granting it the status.

Papuashvili added the Georgian Government hoped for “fair assessments” by the European Commission in October and then a “fair decision” by the European Council on the status in December.