The Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Garibashvili, handed over the second completed part of Georgia’s European Union membership questionnaire to the EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzel on Tuesday.
The Questionnaire was filled out by the country ahead of schedule.
The top head of the Georgian Government told Hartzel his team “looked forward” to the decision of the European Commission as well as its member states on the EU Questionnaire as the next phase of the nation’s application procedure.
Hartzel thanked the Georgian Premier and noted the Questionnaire would “significantly assist” the European Commission in its assessment, the Government Administration said.
“I’m grateful to be here and to receive the outcomes of the hard work of you and many other individuals, which was accomplished in the second and final process of the EU Questionnaire. It will support the European Commission in determining the result,” said Hartzel.
Grateful to receive answers to the second Questionnaire from the hands of @GharibashviliGE. Next step: the Opinion of the European Commission on Georgia’s EU application. pic.twitter.com/LHMCtsuK1H
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) May 10, 2022
Garibashvili also stated that the “European choice” of his nation had “no choice”.
The European Union had set a May 13 deadline for the delivery of the second part of the Questionnaire, which comprised 33 chapters and up to 2300 questions on various aspects of the country.
On May 2, Garibashvili presented Hartzel with the first completed part of the Questionnaire. The European Commission will compile an evaluation report on awarding candidate status to the nation based on the Questionnaire, with a decision likely by the end of June.
The Questionnaire is an official document used by the EU in the country assessment process. A candidate country may be sent thousands of questions that require complex answers. Questions about the human rights situation in the country, reforms, education, culture, agriculture and many other areas.
After passing the Questionnaire, the European Commission will give an opinion on granting candidate status to the country, which will send it to the Council of Europe. The Questionnaire is one of the assessment tools.