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Gamarjoba ! 

Thank you for your attention. I am very happy to be here in Georgia.  

This is my first visit in my current capacity as High Representative of the European Union to your beautiful country. 

First, I want to stress that Georgia is an important partner for the European Union. 

This is a crucial time for your future because in a few weeks, the European Union will consider next steps in Georgia’s accession [path] to the European Union and, for the first time, the report on Georgia’s progress as an enlargement country. 

I want to be very clear in that important moment: the European Union’s door is open to Georgia and the European Union is committed to supporting Georgia on its path towards European Union membership. The door is open and we want to support you on the way.  

But I have to say also that the European Union application is a serious commitment [and] that candidate status is not something that countries are entitled to. It needs to be earned. It needs to be earned through serious reforms and adherence to the European Union’s values. 

And to be frank, there is still quite a bit of work to be done. 

In Georgia’s case, these are the 12 priorities that need to be fulfilled, as set out in the European Commission’s Opinion.  

The hard work - delivering on these 12 priorities -, is not to please Brussels. It is not to make happy people in Brussels or the Member States of the European Union. Ultimately, it is to improve the lives of the Georgian citizens, living up to the overwhelming European aspirations of the Georgian people.  

I see a lot of European flags on the streets of this city. I know that 80% of Georgian people support [Georgia’s path] to be [a] member of the European Union.

So let me express my appreciation for all those who stand up for a European future for Georgia. 

Accession is a national task – all actors need to be working together constructively [and] united. Unity is more important than ever. 

During my visit, I will meet the President [Salome Zourabichvili], the Prime Minister [Irakli Garibashvili], the Foreign Minister [Ilia Darchiashvili], the Parliament, as well as the civil society. We will discuss the progress so far and the work that still needs to be done, as I said at the beginning. 

Georgia should use the short remaining time to address the key reform requirements. The short remaining time to address the key requirements. 

Our commitment to Georgia - the European Union’s commitment to Georgia - is also manifested through our financial support. We are the largest provider of bilateral assistance with almost €340 million during the period 2021-2024. And through our Economic and Investment Plan, around €1.3 billion in investments is being leveraged.   

Also, from a geopolitical point of view, I will discuss with my interlocutors the negative consequences of Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine and reiterate the clear European support to Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. 

I am also here to mark the 15 years of continuous support and continuous presence of our EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) on the ground. This mission has been working day and night to provide security and peaceful conflict resolution. They started in 2008 and since then, the mission has been patrolling and monitoring every day the areas adjacent to breakaway regions. I will have the pleasure to visit them in the field tomorrow, after the meetings here in Tbilisi.  

What we are seeing is that our investment in Georgia is increasing your resilience. We have also a strong cooperation on security and defence – something very important in these troubled times. 

I want to recognise the important contribution that Georgia has provided to our European Union Common Security and Defence policies and [our] efforts [to strengthen] the Georgian defence forces via the European Peace Facility (EPF) that will provide about €60 million to increase the resilience and capacity of your army. 

As you see, this is going to be a dense visit. I am looking forward to the very interesting exchanges that I will have with the Georgian authorities and society. 

Happy to start this visit today here with you.  

Thank you very much for your attention. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-245443