It is time for the European Union to fully understand its role as a geopolitical player and support the sovereign choice of the countries that historically belong to the European family, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, said in his speech at the plenary session of the Romanian Senate.

According to him, despite the fact that the European Union has given Georgia a European perspective, now it is time to make a strategic decision and grant Georgia candidate status.

"Last year, with the recognition of Georgia's European perspective, a new stage began in our relations with the European Union, as we moved to a new stage of the European Union accession. However, now is the time for the EU to take another strategic decision to grant Georgia candidate status and start accession negotiations with Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova.

Georgia has taken significant steps to implement the 12 recommendations of the European Union, and we hope that Georgia's progress will be properly assessed and evaluated accordingly. Today, it is very important not to differentiate Georgia negatively from Moldova and Ukraine, because such differentiation strengthens our common ill-wishers and leaves the region vulnerable to the aggressor. Like the ratification of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement by the leaders of Romania, I ask my Romanian partners to once again lead this historic process of granting Georgia the EU candidate status," said the Chairman of the Parliament.

source: IPN