"All [the EU] recommendations have been implemented... we should get the status by the end of the year" | Garibashvili

"All the 12-point recommendations of the European Union have been fulfilled," Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili said on TV Imedi. According to him, Georgia should receive the candidate status by the end of the year. In addition, Garibashvili repeated again that the European Council granted candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova only as an advance.

"We are doing all we can, we have already done our best... Parliament has worked very hard together with the government. All the recommendations that we had to implement as soon as possible have been implemented. Once again, if we look at Moldova and Ukraine, we are way ahead, 2 times ahead - we are 3 times ahead. We know that political decisions have been made and we've been punished If somehow, they've been given the status of advance... We expect that since we are doing everything we should get the status by the end of the year.If we are talking about the deserved status," said Garibashvili.

For reference, the European Council granted candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, but not to Georgia. The Council recognized the European perspective of Georgia and declared that it is ready to grant the candidate status as soon as the set priorities are fulfilled.