Nemeth: EC denying Georgia candidate status ‘regrettable’

Speaking to MTI by phone from the sidelines of a summer session of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Nemeth called the EC’s position on Georgia’s bid “unacceptable” and “shocking”.

Nemeth, the head of the Hungarian delegation in Strasbourg, said that the EC’s decision to “grant EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova is an important step also from the point of view that in addition to several countries in the Western Balkans, those two neighbouring countries have also been offered the perspective of European integration”.

He expressed hope that Ukraine’s and Moldova’s perspectives of European integration will not draw less support and appreciation than criticism because of the EC’s simultaneous decision not to recommend candidate status for Georgia.

“In the current situation, the only viable solution is to give new impetus to building a common European future,” Nemeth said, underlining the importance of a focus given to the perspective of European integration.

He also welcomed that in connection with the war in Ukraine, Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO accession “has gained serious momentum” and that the EC has also flagged holding a fourth summit.