“History does not give one chance twice”

The European Union is ready to help Georgia prepare for joining the EU, we must move towards this together, European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Oliver Varhei said today in Tbilisi after a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Novosti-Georgia reports.

“The overwhelming majority of the population of Georgia supports joining the European Union. This is a very strong mandate not only for the government, but for the entire political elite… This goal requires long-term stability and peace,” the European Commissioner stressed.

He noted that “during the period of new geopolitical pressure, Georgia has very clearly shown that its firm goal is to join the EU” and Brussels “heard this”.

“I came not only with a Neighborhood mandate, but also with an enlargement mandate, to say that we are ready… We have a lot of work to do in the coming weeks and months. Georgia will have to make a big effort to show that it is ready to become a candidate country … this will happen if the whole country works towards this goal. I’m sure history never gives the same chance twice. That is why we need to seize this opportunity and make it a reality,” Varhei said.

He added that the message of Brussels is the same: “Georgia needs a national consensus on all 12 recommendations of the European Commission” in order to obtain candidate status in the EU.