We are very disappointed and angry that Georgia didn’t get the candidate status, when the countries that received it are far behind. Such a statement Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made after meeting with Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashvili.

“If Hungary had not joined the European Union at that time, the economic growth rate in the EU would have fallen. The economic growth of the last 20 years can be attributed mainly to the accession of the Central European region, which means that the EU needs such dynamism, such energy, such people who want to work, to be creative, who have ambitions.

If Europe does not accept such people when the time comes, the EU will eventually pay the price by losing its competitiveness. In this context, Georgia is a country that especially deserves the mentioned status. Of course, the country’s economic performance is high, and I believe that the EU has interests in connecting with the Caucasus region, and the best solution is to connect through Georgia.

We are very disappointed and angry that Georgia did not receive the candidate status, when the countries that received it are far behind. We in the EU must decide whether we see enlargement as a political process or what we say is true - it is a process based on merit?! If there is a process based on merit, what happened is quite unfair. This should be corrected as soon as possible!”, - said Viktor Orban.