EU-Georgia relations to reach new level
By Jamila Babayeva
The signing of an association agreement will bring relations between the EU and Georgia to a new level.
European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy, Stefan Fule made the remarks during a joint press conference with Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze in Tbilisi on March 4.
"This agreement will lead Georgia closer to European values and therefore we attach a particular importance to the signing of this document," he said.
Georgia initialed association agreement with the EU at a summit in Vilnius dedicated to the European Union's 'Eastern Partnership' countries - ex-Soviet states on November 29, 2013. The signing of the Association Agreement is scheduled for August 2014.
Fule stressed that this document is scheduled to be signed in late this summer, but both sides are making every effort to accelerate procedures.
"Despite the fact that the association agreement does not give results in only one day, it helps to reform the country. It will strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions and protect human rights," he said.
Fule added that the association facilitates business development, the emergence of new investments that will create new jobs, increase GDP and trade, increase wages and improve quality of life.
"The health and environmental standards will also be increased," Fule stressed.
He also expressed confidence that this process will lead to the pluralization of political life.
"Although we are well aware that Russia can exert pressure on Georgia to disrupt the signing of this agreement, the EU will support Georgia and this support will be steady," he said.
Panjikidze said the text of the Association Agreement between Georgia and the EU will be agreed and ready for signing by late March.
Fule within his visit to Georgia also met with President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. During the meeting the sides discussed important aspects of the EU-Georgia relations.