Georgia deserves to receive EU candidate status - PM

TBILISI. Feb 3 (Interfax) - Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili believes Georgia deserves to receive EU candidate status judging by the European Commission's report on Georgia's progress in its European integration.

"The European Commission has published an analytical report on the compatibility of Georgia's national legislation with the legislation of the European Union. The document convincingly demonstrates the progress made by our country as part of its integration with Europe and once again shows that Georgia as the first reformer deserves to receive EU candidate status," Garibashvili said on Friday when commenting on the European Commission's report.

The document published by the European Commission confirms what the Georgian authorities have been trying to prove since June of last year, i.e. that Georgia deserves EU candidate status in every way, Georgian Dream ruling party chairman Irakli Kobakhidze said.

"Georgia is considerably ahead of Moldova by 12 points and is ahead of Ukraine in almost all main parameters," Kobakhidze told reporters on Friday.

The European Commission's assessment document makes it clear that if decisions are adopted based on objective criteria, Georgia should receive EU candidate status in 2023, he said.