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EU approves Association Agreement with Georgia

18 December 2014 18:58 (UTC+04:00)
EU approves Association Agreement with Georgia

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

The European Parliament has approved its most-anticipated Association Agreement (AA) with Georgia in Strasbourg on December 18.

The AA will help establish a deeper political association and economic integration between the EU and Georgia, including the progressive opening of their respective markets.

Members of the European Parliament backed the AA deal with Georgia by 490 votes in favor to 76 against with 57 abstentions.

Georgia’s delegation, including the country’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili, Chairman of the Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee Tedo Japaridze and Chairman of the Parliament's European Integration Committee Victor Dolidze, attended the official ratification ceremony in Strasbourg, France.

Georgia's former president Mikheil Saakashvili also attended the session invited by the European People’s Party.

"The European Parliament’s ratification of the Association Agreement with Georgia has opened a new chapter in the relations between the European Union and Georgia", said Andrejs Mamikins, Latvian MEP, EU Rapporteur on Georgia.

"Georgia has made significant progress and strengthened its relations with the EU. We welcome recent judicial reforms targeting to strengthen Georgia’s democratic institutions. We also support Georgian society's efforts to achieve further democratization,” he noted.

Mamikins said Europe should now show a real solidarity with Georgia and its people.

Russia-Abkhazia relations

Moreover, the European Parliament voted for an additional non-legislative resolution on Georgia, which was passed by 491 votes in favor to 84 againts with 63 abstentions.

The resolution covered the entire internationally recognized territory of Georgia, including Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) regions.

The EP once more condemned the so-called "Alliance and Strategic Partnership" treaty between Abkhazia and Russia, saying it was a step towards the full annexation of Abkhazia. It also called on Russia to withdraw from the region.

Georgia’s reform agenda

The EP noted that Georgia has made significant progress and like any other European state, it would have the EU membership prospects if conditions were met. However, it urged Georgia to consolidate its reforms, end selective and political use of justice and work towards a society of pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, solidarity and equality between women and men.

Georgian Prime Minister Irali Garibashvili congratulated the Georgian nation on the ratification of the AA, calling it a big achievement on the way to European integration.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili also delivered his congratulations to the people of Georgia for ratification of the AA.

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