By no means Georgia has suspended the European integration process.

Over the past few days my country, Georgia has drawn high international media attention and we wanted to clarify again what is our position, where we stand as a country.

On 28 November 2024 the Prime Minister of Georgia Mr. Irakli Kobakhidze has made a statement to say that our government decided not to initiate the opening of negotiations with the European Union until the end of 2028, since the EU has set a target date of 2030 for its next enlargement. This would give Georgia two full years to close the negotiations with the EU given that by 2028 Georgia meets the majority of accession criteria as outlined in both, the EU-Georgia Association Agenda and the DCFTA.

In the same statement the Prime Minister explained the reasons of such decision and reaffirmed that Georgia’s main priority remains the European integration and from now to 2028 gives us a reasonable time to be adequately prepared, also in economic terms to launch the negotiations for the EU membership.

By no means Georgia has suspended the European integration process. Furthermore, it continues fulfilling all obligations related to Georgia's European integration. By 2028, we aim that more than 90% of the obligations are fulfilled as assumed under the EU-Georgia Association Agenda and the DCFTA by 2028. To clarify, it is the fulfillment of these obligations that paves the way for Georgia's full integration into the European Union. By 2030, we do hope that Georgia will be one of the most prepared counties among the candidates for the membership in the European Union.

I would like to outline that our Constitution’s Article 78 states: “The constitutional bodies shall take all measures within the scope of their competences to ensure the full integration of Georgia into the European Union and the NATO.” Nobody is questioning Georgia’s European future. Georgia remains committed to its goal of European integration.

As Georgian Prime Minister has stated very recently: “Naturally, European integration remains our top foreign policy priority. However, we will pursue it with dignity and fairness’’.