The Prime Minister of Georgia commended the “shared commitment” of his Government and the country’s public in obtaining the European Union membership candidate status this month. He talked about this issue at the annual Ambassadors’ Conference in Tbilisi.

Irakli Garibashvili stressed the efforts had “achieved remarkable success this year” in fulfilling the “key aspiration”.

“This stands as a monumental accomplishment attributed to the collective efforts of our Government and people, reflecting our shared commitment. I extend my sincere gratitude to the envoys for their unwavering dedication, hard work, and patriotism. The tangible results we see today are a testament to our joint endeavors.

Before 2012, Georgia was distancing itself from Europe, forming an authoritarian, dictatorial regime. We recall vividly that no specific steps towards European integration were initiated. Instead, Georgia seemed to be moving further away with each passing year. In the span of 11 years, our nation has emerged as a leading force in democratisation on the world stage. Today, after over a decade, we proudly hold the EU candidate status”, - said the Prime Minister.

He also added the progress under the administration of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream: “Getting the candidate status depended on the turning point that the country achieved in 2012 and which was brought by Bidzina Ivanishvili’s rule”.