Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has said that "Ukraine's ruling parliamentary faction head, David Arakhamia insisted that Georgia not receive EU's candidate status."

As Georgia's PM said at the plenary session of the parliament, "he knows about this information from European and American colleagues."

Earlier, he called "Lelo" MP Salome Samadashvili a "traitor":

"Salome Samadashvili went to Brussels and asked them not to give candidate status to Georgia, she is a traitor of the country."

On June 17 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the Commission recommends candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova with an understanding that the countries carry on necessary reforms, while it recommends a European perspective to Georgia, with the country first required to meet conditions before reaching candidate status.