Georgia welcomes ratification of Association Agreement with the EU
Tbilisi, 18 December 2014 - The European Parliament has ratified with a resounding cross-party majority a far ranging political and trade agreement which puts Georgia on a clear path towards deep integration with the European Union. Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili welcomed Thursday's vote as a strong signal of support from the EU's legislature for Georgia's European perspective.
"On behalf of all Georgians I wish to thank the Members of the European Parliament for this vote of confidence in our country and our institutions. We have worked hard over recent years to implement the democratic reforms which have led to this success, and the Association Agreement provides the framework for us to continue this process and advance towards our final goal of full integration into the European Union."
The text adopted by the Parliament reiterates that Georgia "has a European perspective and may apply to become a member of the Union provided that it adheres to the principles of democracy, respects fundamental freedoms and human and minority rights, and ensures the rule of law."
"Georgia today is a success story of the European Partnership Initiative, and we are determined to fully and rapidly implement this agreement in order to bring our country fully into line with European standards," said the PM.
The Prime Minister stressed that European integration will bring tangible benefits to the people of Georgia, but that Georgia will also be an important partner for the EU. "Georgia is a stable democracy, a vibrant economy, an able and reliable contributor to international security and a key transit country for energy bound for Europe," he said.
Aside from the European Parliament and the Parliament of Georgia, the Association Agreement has to date been ratified by ten EU member states: Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden. All member states need to ratify the agreement for its full provisions to enter into force. Certain chapters of the agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement are in force already since 1 September.