The president of the Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, announced on Wednesday the “decision to apply immediately” for Georgia’s entry into the EU. Ukraine, invaded by Russia, made the same request.
Irakli Kobakhidze added that Georgia was asking Brussels to “urgently” examine this request and to grant the country the status of candidate for entry into the European Union.
This announcement follows Volodymyr Zelensky’s express request for Ukraine’s rapid integration into the EU through a special procedure. The Ukrainian president received the support of the European Parliament, which adopted a resolution on Tuesday calling on the European institutions to “work for the granting of Ukraine the status of candidate to the EU”.
An objective enshrined in the Constitution
In Georgia, a country which experienced a Russian military intervention in 2008 which resulted in the loss of two separatist territories, this vote revived the desire to integrate the EU, an objective enshrined in its Constitution.
In 2021, the Georgian government had expressed the intention to present the country’s candidacy for entry into the EU in 2024.
Georgia, like Ukraine, is linked to the European Union by the “Eastern Partnership”, an association agreement which does not, however, offer any guarantee of subsequent integration.
