On November 8, the European Union's executive recommended that the bloc grants formal candidate status to Georgia, if and when it fulfils remaining conditions.

The outstanding conditions include Georgia aligning itself with the EU's foreign policy sanctions, pushing back against disinformation and political polarisation, as well as ensuring a free and fair 2024 election.

The European Council will take the decision on granting the status in December 2023.

The Accent was interested in the positions of EU member states on granting EU candidate’s status to Georgia and sent the following question to their embassies in Georgia: "Will you support granting EU candidate’s status to Georgia?".

Here are the comments of their embassies in Georgia:

Romanian Ambassador to Georgia, Razvan Rotundu:

• "I can tell you that Romania as a strategic partner of Georgia is always supporting the European aspirations of it."

Bulgarian Ambassador to Georgia, Vesselin Valkanov:

• "I believe at the European Council Bulgaria will support the recommendation made by the EC."

Ambassador of Finland to South Caucasus, Kirsti Narinen:

• "The Finnish government has sent the positive response supporting the Commission’s opinion on the EU enlargement to the Parliament and government does not expect the position to change in the parliamentary scrutiny.

We want Georgia and Georgian people to prosper but we also expect the merit-based assessment to form the future guidelines for the Georgian EU-path. Reforms need to continue and conditions to be fulfilled as described by the Commission."

Italian Ambassador to Georgia, Enrico Valvo:

• "Italy welcomes the recommendation issued by the European Commission on November 8 to grant EU candidate status to Georgia on the understanding that steps are taken to address 9 priority areas.

As a strong supporter of Georgia’s European perspective, Italy hopes that the December European Council will support such recommendation, allowing a substantial step forward in Georgia’s European integration process.

As the enlargement process is merit-based, inclusive co-operation of all Georgian political and social actors in focusing on necessary reforms will be crucial for advancing the integration process."

The Ambassador of the Netherlands to Georgia, Meline Arakelian:

• "At this point we can inform you that the Government of the Netherlands has not yet formulated a position on the enlargement report of the European Commission and its recommendation to grant Georgia candidate status."

The Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Georgia, Petr Kubernat:

• "Since very beginning we have always fully supported Georgia´s effort to fulfil conditions to receive Candidate Status and we will continue to support Georgia on its EU and NATO paths. We know how important the Candidate Status is for your people, although it is only one of the milestones, I admit an important one, on the long way to the EU.

We declared before that we are willing to support the granting of candidate status to Georgia if the conclusions of the European Commission's autumn evaluation report are consistent with this.

EC recommended that the European Council grants Candidate Status to Georgia on the understanding that a number of steps are taken.

We are studying now the Action plan of Georgia to address the 9 steps defined in the European Commission Communication of 8 November 2023 approved by the Georgian Government Commission on European Integration on 27, November. Final position of the Czech government is not yet ready."

The Embassy of Austria in Georgia:

• "Austria fully supports the European aspirations of Georgia as underlined by the European Council in June 2022. With its recommendation, the European Commission has sent a strong political signal regarding Georgia’s European path and underscored the pro-European sentiment among the Georgian population. We will discuss the European Commission’s recommendation on the level of Heads of State and Government at the European Council in two weeks.

All EU Member States will then take a unanimous decision together. In the meantime and beyond, we encourage all Georgian stakeholders to start working jointly and inclusively on the nine steps identified by the European Commission."