Georgia deserves the status of an EU candidate more than Ukraine, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at a government meeting.

According to the politician, his country is “ten goals ahead” in all areas.

“They say that Ukraine is in a state of war, so it should get the status of a candidate for joining the European Union.

But if war is the price of that status, we don't want war.

We asked for the status we deserved with 30 years of freedom fighting and nine years of reforms,” Garibashvili was quoted as saying by Jam News.

According to Garibashvili, Georgia also deserves the status of an EU candidate more than Moldova.

In addition, the prime minister appreciated the resolution of the European Parliament published on June 9, which states that in order for the country to receive the status of a candidate for EU membership, Georgia must fulfill a number of conditions, including solving problems with violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists.

“Really shameful accusations are written in the resolution, but they need facts and evidence,” Garibashvili said.

According to media reports, after the European Commission holds a debate on granting Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia the status of candidates for EU membership, a decision should be made on the results of this discussion on June 17.

Meanwhile, according to Politico, citing sources, the European Commission (EC) intends to recommend granting Ukraine the official status of an EU candidate country.

As noted, Brussels clearly understands the need to send Russian President Vladimir Putin "a clear signal that he has lost any chance of returning Ukraine to his supposed sphere of influence."

“Ultimately, the recognition of Ukraine as a candidate (for EU members.

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) requires the unanimous approval of 27 heads of state and government in the European Council, who are expected to consider this issue at a summit in Brussels next week.

At least three countries are still opposed, according to officials and diplomats.

After that, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa urged in an interview with the Financial Times not to give Ukraine false hopes with a debate about its status in the EU, since all this risks turning into a "bitter disappointment."

According to him, the status of a candidate is only the beginning of the entry process, which can drag on for years.

At the same time, Clement Bon, Minister Delegate to the French Foreign Ministry for European Affairs, said on the France Inter radio station that before the long process of Ukraine's accession to the EU, hostilities must first be completed on its territory, and then the conditions for its membership in the association can be discussed.

chasing status

Recall that Georgia and Moldova applied for EU membership just a few days after the Ukrainian authorities took a similar step.

On June 11, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visited Kyiv and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

During a press conference following the summit, she said that by the end of this week, the EC should complete discussions on granting Ukraine the status of a candidate for joining the European Union.

“On this path, we highly appreciate the efforts that Ukraine is making and the determination with which your country is moving.

The people have proven their motivation and their determination,” said von der Leyen.

  • European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

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Zelensky, in turn, noted that the Kyiv authorities in a very short time gave exhaustive answers to the questionnaire and are awaiting the conclusion of the European Commission on Ukraine's compliance with the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership.

“The vast majority of Europeans consider Ukraine part of the European family.

And this is fair.

At the political level, we are all waiting for recognition of such a reality already on June 23-24, when the historic meeting of the European Council is to take place for us.

A meeting, the logical solution of which should be to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate country.

We really believe in that,” he said.

However, according to the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, granting Ukraine the status of a candidate has its value only "as a symbolic act."

However, in the EU, “she will not enter faster from this,” the publication emphasizes.

Der Tagesspiegel also notes that sympathy for Ukraine because of the fighting on its territory "is not considered as a criterion for deciding whether to grant candidate status."

“This is rather a reason for caution,” the newspaper writes.

- He (EU.

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) should not decide who he would prefer to see in the union earlier.

It should encourage applicants to constructive competition: let's see which of them will achieve success faster in preparation for entry.

Der Tagesspiegel also reports that by "talking about the slowness" of the European Union, the applicants for membership "divert attention from their own delays in implementing reforms."

“Some states, such as Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, have been waiting for almost two decades to be accepted.

And Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo - obtaining the status of a candidate, ”the publication recalled.

"Political conjuncture of the European bureaucracy"

According to Vladimir Olenchenko, senior researcher at the Center for European Studies at IMEMO RAS, in his statement, the Georgian Prime Minister hints that Brussels “may skip ahead of the queue” Ukraine and grant it candidate status.

According to the analyst, such fears are not unfounded.

“The European Commission, most likely, will do so, and purely for political reasons, since there are no objective grounds for this.

The Ukrainian economy has been destroyed, and hostilities are taking place on the territory of the country.

However, this does not stop the head of EU diplomacy from promising Ukraine to include it in the European family and hinting at the possibility of membership in the European Union.

Georgia and Moldova may be left on the sidelines, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.

Olenchenko also believes that it is Ukraine that will be granted candidate status in the near future, since, as he believes, Washington is putting pressure on Brussels on this issue.

  • European Commission building

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“In the European integration of Ukraine, the interests of the EU are not visible.

This is the political desire of the United States, which wants to demonstrate to Russia that, despite the special operation, Kyiv is still allegedly moving towards what it wants.

And Brussels is giving signals that it is ready to push through this decision by any means.

This whole story with the rapid preparations of Brussels to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for EU membership reflects double standards and the political conjuncture of the European bureaucracy, its dependence on the will of Washington, ”the analyst said.

At the same time, Olenchenko expressed confidence that Ukraine, even if it receives the status of a candidate for membership, will definitely not be able to join the ranks of the EU in the short and medium term.

“Georgia and Moldova will not be able to do the same.

The fact is that the European Union is mired in economic problems, in addition, there is a serious disunity of its members on a variety of issues, including whether Ukraine should be taken into the union or not.

Against this background, the discussions in the EU regarding the admission of these three countries are in the nature of political slogans without any economic calculation, ”the expert said.

Olenchenko recalled that the rhetoric in the EU regarding the accelerated consideration of Ukraine's application for EU membership "angers not only Georgia, but also Turkey", which has been waiting for years to join the European Union.

“Ankara sent its application for membership to the European Union a long time ago - in April 1987.

After that, she was repeatedly promised membership in the association, but it never came to that.

It will be most difficult for Brussels to explain its steps towards Ukraine and its entry into the EU to Turkey, a major regional power, which, despite its aspirations, has not yet entered the union, ”said the analyst.

Recall that at the end of last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a meeting with youth representatives that the policy of the West cannot be trusted, since they are still delaying Turkey's entry into the EU.

Earlier, Erdogan also urged Brussels to show the same “sensitivity” to Ankara as to Kyiv on this issue.

In turn, political scientist Andrey Suzdaltsev noted that Turkey has every reason to make such claims against the Western political establishment, since the country has been “waiting its turn to join the EU” for more than three decades.

“It is stubbornly not taken, explaining that there are criteria that the state has not yet fulfilled.

Now Georgia is also offended by Brussels, which believes that it has already accomplished the greatest feat in support of Western democracy, ”the expert said in a comment to RT.

Ukraine, on the other hand, “takes advantage of the situation and requires certain privileges” to join the EU, in particular, accelerated consideration of its application, Suzdaltsev stated.

“The Ukrainian side presents itself as a defender of the European Union from the notorious Russian aggression, a victim who is trying, among other things, for the good of the EU and the West as a whole.

And this myth is actively promoted by Kyiv.

However, despite all these tricks, Brussels, although pretending in retaliation to Russia that it is ready to quickly accept Ukraine into the union, will not do this, because it will not pull first of all economically, ”concluded the expert.