Georgian Foreign Minister Meets EU Officials in Brussels
Georgian Foreign Minister and Deputy PM, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, and EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, Brussels, October 8, 2015. Photo: EU Audiovisual Services
EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn said he is “very optimistic” that the European Commission report on how Georgia is implementing its visa liberalisation action plan will be “positive”.
He made the remarks at a joint news conference with Georgian Foreign Minister, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, after the meeting in Brussels on October 8.
Kvirikashvili, who has paid his first visit to Brussels in the capacity of the foreign minister, also met EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini; he will also meet EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström.
“The work is going very well and I really have to commend on all the activities taken by the Georgian government to come to a positive report. I am very optimistic about that and I hope that very soon we can announce something, but still some homework has to be done,” Commissioner Hahn said.
The next, fourth report on how Georgia is implementing its Visa Liberalisation Action Plan, a detailed set of reforms required for a country to implement in order to be granted short-term visa free travel rules in the Schengen area, is expected from the European Commission by the end of this year. Officials in Tbilisi hope that it will be the final report in which the Commission will recommend granting visa free regime for Georgian citizens.
Asked if the migration crisis may have negative effect on Georgia’s chances for getting visa free rules from the EU, Hahn responded: “We [are] working hard – the both sides [EU and Georgia], and for the time being I have no indications that there should not be a positive report.”
He said that after the report is release, the European Commission has “to ask our member states to agree on that and I hope that there is a positive decision as soon as possible.”
The EU Commissioner also added that he hopes things will not get unnecessarily complicated.”
“But I cannot predict discussions and situations in couple of months, but from our side we will do everything to arrive at a positive solution,” he said.
The issue was also discussed at a meeting with EU foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini.
“They [Kvirikashvili and Mogherini] underlined the rapid progress by Georgia towards visa liberalisation, with many benchmarks already achieved, in the view of the best possible outcome by the end of the year,” EU’s External Action Service said.
Commissioner Hahn said at the press conference that “the issue of judicial system” in Georgia was also discussed and welcomed the Georgian government’s readiness to invite European mission that would look into the Georgian judicially and possibly into some individual cases.
“I also don’t want to hide that we had to address the issue of judicial system and some discussion around that. In order to avoid any irritation, we have agreed and we really welcome the openness of the Georgian government to invite the delegation from Europe – I would personally prefer if it’s led by the representatives of the Council of Europe, but also other experts should be part of the delegation – to look into the way how the judiciary in Georgia is working and, if necessary, it is also quite useful to look into one or the other individual case," the EU Commissioner said.
“I think in the run-up of the elections next year it’s in our mutual interest to clarify what has to be clarified,” Hahn said.
“But, once again, if we take everything together the development of Georgia towards the real democratic country is an excellent one and we really appreciate it,” Hahn said.
Foreign Minister Kvirikashvili said at the news conference: “I would like to reassure you that Georgia is open for this cooperation, for communication. We will be waiting for the potential mission from the [EU] and we are ready for answering all the questions and it is extremely important for us to have an excellent communication in this regard, especially in the pre-election phase, which we are entering.”
Commissioner Hahn said that the EU counts on Georgia and “its role in the region to further stabilize the situation and contribute to a better perspective for the citizens of not only in Georgia but also in the region.”
Asked if Georgia is “always on the agenda” when EU talks with Russia, Hahn responded: “I have to admit – not always, which, I believe, is a good sign.”
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