By AFP | 2023-11-08

BRUSSELS/TBILISI -- Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili on Wednesday (November 8) welcomed Brussels' recommendation to grant her country candidate status to join the European Union (EU).

"I rejoice with the people of Georgia and welcome the positive recommendation of the EU Commission to grant the candidate status," Zurabishvili said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Georgia applied for EU membership together with Ukraine and Moldova after Russia invaded its pro-Western neighbor in February 2022.

EU leaders granted candidate status to Kyiv and Chisinau but urged Tbilisi to first implement judicial and electoral reforms, improve press freedom and curtail the power of oligarchs.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Brussels' recommendation on Wednesday came with a caveat that the Georgian government take reform steps "that mirror the genuine aspirations of the overwhelming majority of its citizens to join the European Union."

Membership in the EU and NATO is enshrined in Georgia's constitution and supported -- according to opinion polls -- by more than 80% of the country's population.

EU leaders are to take a final decision on putting Georgia on a formal membership path in mid-December.

Membership talks

The EU's executive arm on Wednesday also recommended member states open formal membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova.

The announcement was a major show of support for Kyiv as it has pushed its bid to join in the face of Russia's invasion.

The EU's 27 leaders still have to sign off on the decisions at a summit in December.

"Today is a historic day because today the commission recommends that the council opens accession negotiations with Ukraine and with Moldova," von der Leyen said.

The EU chief said Ukraine and Moldova should still complete further reforms before a formal start date could be set.

Her office will issue an update on the progress in March 2024, she said.

"Ukraine continues to face tremendous hardship and tragedy provoked by Russia's war of aggression, and yet the Ukrainians are deeply reforming their country, even as they are fighting a war that is existential for them," von der Leyen said.

The commission in June set Kyiv seven reform benchmarks to complete, including tackling graft and curbing oligarch power, before talks should start.

Von der Leyen said Ukraine had now completed "well over 90% of the necessary steps."

Moldova -- which has complained Moscow is seeking to destabilize it -- was also given reforms to complete.

Even if war-torn Ukraine does start talks, it will still only be at the start of a painstaking process of reforms that could last for years -- if not decades -- before it joins the EU.

Turkey began accession talks in 2005, but those are at a dead end. Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia are also stuck in negotiations.