Tbilisi (GBC) - “Germany supported the decision to open European Perspective for Georgia from the very beginning. The date of December 2023, when Georgia received candidate status, is very important for us,” said German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the joint press conference with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.
According to Scholz, it is now very important to organize this process so well that all the necessary criteria for membership are developed.
“Judicial and economic reforms are important here, but, above all, also the rule of law and democracy. We know that joining the European Union is not only the government’s aspiration but also the great desire of the citizens of Georgia, the people who support Georgia’s accession to the European Union and the acceleration of this process. That is why supporting European values is crucial, and the European Union and Europe should be very important,” said Olaf Scholz.
The German Chancellor believes it is also crucial to discuss problems.
“We, like the entire EU, are very critical of the so-called Agents Law, and since this bill has been suspended, we had high hopes that it would no longer be on the agenda. The new bill has remained virtually unchanged. This is almost the same as last year, and we really hope that Georgia and the Georgian Parliament will not adopt this law while taking into account our critical position and the position of the population of Georgia. Therefore, in our conversation, I once again emphasized the importance of civil society organizations and cooperation between the opposition and the government, which is very important for social development,” said Olaf Scholz.
At the press conference, the German Chancellor was asked the question: “You commented on the law on Transparency of Foreign Influence and expressed hope that Georgia will not adopt the law in its current form. The Prime Minister of Georgia said that the European Commission also came up with a similar initiative. We observe that the regulations in this area are relevant in Europe, many countries have adopted the same or similar laws. We wonder why European partners are concerned, if the same regulations or similar rules apply in Europe and the USA,” to which Olaf Scholz remarked:
“There is no such legislation in the European Union. There is a discussion about establishing transparency in various areas, but this is a completely different concept. This has not yet been decided and most likely will not be decided,” said Olaf Scholz.
