Despite these challenges, we continue to honor our commitments to Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, said today the Prime Minister of Georgia in his speech at the Batumi International Conference.

“Despite these challenges, we continue to honor our commitments to Georgia"s European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Our cooperation with the EU is as energetic as ever. We have been advancing our European integration in various areas covered by the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and have continued our active engagement in the Eastern Partnership, which we see as an important policy for Georgia and for our entire region.

The recently announced Post-2020 Eastern Partnership Priorities are opening new opportunities to enhance Georgia"s connectivity to the EU, through improved Transport connectivity across the Black Sea. The Partnership will also help 80,000 SMEs realize the full benefits of the DCFTA. Let me thank the European Union for the readiness to allocate 3.9 billion euros to Georgia as part of the Economic and Investment Plan for the next 7 years. All these efforts will serve to shrink further the physical distance between Georgia and the EU, fully realize the benefits of the Association Agreement, and increase the prosperity of the citizens of this country.

Implementation of the Association Agreement remains at the top of my government’s agenda. We are diligently continuing our reforms aimed at stronger democratic institutions, legal approximation, and regulatory convergence with the EU. It is essential that we create more policy linkages and common areas with the EU.

As you know, my government made an ambitious pledge to prepare Georgia for filing the EU membership application in 2024. I am certain that through continued reforms, steady implementation of the Association Agreement and gradual approximation with the EU, we will achieve this goal”, - said Irakli Garibashvili.