The mayor of Tbilisi named the reason for not granting Georgia the status of an EU candidate

Georgia did not receive the status of a candidate for joining the European Union because of its position on anti-Russian sanctions. This was stated by the Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream Party and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, 1TV reports.

Kaladze called the decision not to give Georgia the status of an EU candidate a political one. The Georgian leadership, according to the mayor, is a problem for the European Union, because "it does not join the sanctions, does not start a war [and] does not open a" second front "in the country."

“I have said many times and I will say again that Georgia deserved the status of a candidate for the European Union. <...> We were the first to deserve it. <...> I will always be happy with the success of Ukrainians. However, if you look realistically, with parameters and figures, Georgia is the first to take concrete steps - it carries out reforms, fights corruption,” the Mayor of Tbilisi said.

The Georgian authorities are ready to do everything possible to obtain the status, however, if this does not happen, there will be no problem, the politician believes.

In June 2022, Ukraine and Moldova became candidates for membership in the European Union. This issue was also considered in relation to Georgia, but the country never received the status. Brussels promised to provide it to the state "as soon as the remaining priorities are resolved."

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili called the refusal of the status political and said that the decision was not based on the merits of specific countries. The head of the Servant of the People faction in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine David Arakhamia and the parliamentary opposition of Georgia represented by the United National Movement asked Brussels not to give Georgia the status of an EU candidate country, the prime minister said.

Georgia, after the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, decided not to impose sanctions against Moscow. Garibashvili emphasized that he was acting in the interests of the country and the people.

The Russian leadership, in turn, stated that Washington, Brussels and London are trying to convince the Georgian leadership "of the need to open a so-called second front" in order to regain control over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In particular, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, spoke about this. Garibashvili emphasized that his party would not allow the opening of a second front on Georgian territory as long as it remained in power.