GD Chair Sees Connection Between Joining War, EU Candidacy

Ruling Georgian Dream party chairperson Irakli Kobakhidze has claimed that if Georgia was to go to war against Russia before December, the country would be “guaranteed” European Union candidate status.

“You would probably agree that receiving such candidate status is certainly not worth it,” MP Kobakhidze said in an interview with the Georgian Public Broadcaster yesterday.

“We cannot and will not change this factor,” he said, adding: “the opposition would do this with pleasure, and they will do their best to this end, but we will not go for it [war] under any circumstances.”

“If the war ends in Ukraine by December, that emotional background, that among others led to the decision in the European Union against Georgia, will be removed. That is, there was a certain emotional background for which Ukraine and Moldova were given a candidate status, while Georgia was not.”

MP Kobakhidze continued: “if the war ends by December in Ukraine, this emotional background will be changed and chances would increase for Georgia to receive [EU] candidate status.”

On June 23, the European Council recognized the European perspective for Georgia but unveiled a list of 12 recommendations Georgia has to meet before receiving a candidate status. The list includes judicial and election reforms, political depolarization and “de-oligarchization,” and independence and effectiveness of state institutions, among others.

Georgia’s opening of a “second front” against Russia amid its full-scale war in Ukraine, or Tbilisi imposing bilateral sanctions against Moscow is not among the conditions.

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