Georgian PM says does not envy Ukraine, Moldova over EU candidate status

TBILISI. June 20 (Interfax) - The European Commission made a historic decision on June 17 by opening "the European perspective" for Georgia, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said.

"Europe has opened the door to Georgia, and this is a historic decision. As soon as Georgia fulfills certain obligations and meets the priorities, it will receive the status of an EU candidate," Garibashvili said at a government meeting on Monday.

According to Garibashvili, the European leaders told him at recent meetings in Brussels that "the candidate status was given to Ukraine in advance due to the critical situation it has found itself in, while Moldova received the status for taking in hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian refugees."

"Given the ongoing special operation, the European Commission has rewarded Ukraine and Moldova with the candidate status recommendation, but these countries have yet to cover the same path and meet the same obligations to Brussels as Georgia," Garibashvili said.

"I really do not envy Ukraine or Moldova but would like to congratulate the friendly Ukrainian and Moldovan peoples on success. I would like to wish them peace and national unity," he said.

The European Commission recommended on June 17 that Ukraine and Moldova receive the EU candidate status and "the European perspective" open for Georgia. The European Union will make a decision later this week.