MP: Tbilisi to get EU candidacy with “100% guarantee” despite attempts of “radical opposition”

Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, has claimed the country would obtain the European Union membership candidate status in December with “100 per cent guarantee” and “despite attempts of the radical wing” of the domestic opposition.

In his press comments, the official stressed the bloc would have “no arguments” to reject the status again, following the June 2022 decision when it granted Tbilisi a European perspective while approving the full candidacy for Ukraine and Moldova, the two other members in the EU’s Associated Trio, agenda.ge reports.

Kaladze claimed “all conditions” outlined by the bloc last year for granting the status would be “fully met” by early November, when the European Commission is scheduled to present its final report on Tbilisi’s implementation of the reform agenda, with the document to be then used by the European Council in December to decide on the country’s status.

From today's point of view, Georgia will definitely receive the status”, Kaladze said, and added in the case of “another unfair decision” by the bloc, the Government would “come out and explain [the reasons] to the public”.

Describing the United National Movement opposition - the former ruling party - as a “radical force”, Kaladze claimed the group was “stuck in the past” and using the “same dirty methods” as while in office.

He also called UNM a “dangerous force”, which he said was “ready to sacrifice the interests of its own people and the country for the interests of another state”, before adding “Georgia is represented by the Government, which wins all elections with the support of the majority [of voters]”.