Georgia awaits EU candidacy status

Georgian President Zurabishvili addressed MEPs in the framework of the 2-day sessions of the General Assembly of the European Parliament, which started in Brussels.

“In this decisive period of our journey towards Europe, I would like to see Georgia overcome local and international challenges and firmly embark on the path towards full European integration.” Zurabishvili said: “There is only one way to do this, which is to ensure that Georgia gets EU candidate country status by the end of the year. I’m sure of that.” He made the assessment of him.

Zurabishvili’s speech to the European parliamentarians coincided with the European Political Community Meeting (AST), which will bring together the leaders of European countries and the heads of EU institutions in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, today.

After the war in Ukraine, Georgia applied to join the EU together with Ukraine and Moldova. While the applications from Ukraine and Moldova resulted in the granting of candidate country status, it was stated that Georgia’s situation could be reassessed at a later date.

CRITICAL VOTE FOR HUNGARY

One of the important items on the agenda of the EP General Assembly sessions was the procedure initiated regarding the violation of the rule of law and fundamental rights in Hungary before the vote was held.

The deputies discussed proposals such as postponing the EU Presidency, which Hungary will assume in July 2024 in the framework of a 6-month rotation, or limiting its powers.

Johannes Hahn, the budget commissioner, who spoke on behalf of the EU Commission, gave more moderate messages, saying that the Commission is assessing the situation and that Hungary will not receive a part of the EU budget unless for a change to occur. in his attitude is observed.

The EU had frozen some 30 billion euros in grants and loans to Hungary. Hungary has been criticized by the EU for some time on the grounds that it has backtracked on principles such as democracy and the rule of law. On April 27, 2022, the EU Commission announced that it had started the procedure for conditional granting of budget actions against Hungary due to long-standing concerns about the misuse of EU funds.

The EP is expected to hold a vote on Hungary’s rotating presidency.

KALI DID NOT PARTICIPATE

On the other hand, Eva Kaili, the biggest name in the EP-related corruption investigation, was expected to attend today’s General Assembly session, after the pending trial decision was issued last week.

However, Kaili did not attend the session. It was seen that Kaili’s name was also included among those who will attend today’s sessions.

Kaili, who was arrested in December 2022 and sent to prison in the corruption, bribery and money laundering investigation, was placed under house arrest on April 14. (AA)