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Georgia committed to EU association deal, seeks European standards — PM

“Georgia is a country of stable democracy, an active economy, has relevant experience,” Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili said

Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili EPA/JULIEN WARNAND

Georgian Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili

© EPA/JULIEN WARNAND

TBILISI, December 18. /TASS/. The Georgian authorities are firmly committed to implementing an Association Agreement with the EU quickly and in full to see European standards established in the country, the prime minister said on Tuesday.

“Georgia is a country of stable democracy, an active economy, has relevant experience,” and contributes to international security, Irakly Garibashvili said. “Georgia at the moment is an example of successful European partnership,” the prime minister added.

“We have spared no effort over the recent years to carry out democratic reforms, which have determined this success,” he said after the European Parliament ratified earlier on Thursday an association agreement with the European Union. The ratification demonstrates “confidence in Georgia and its institutions,” he said.

At a session in Strasbourg on Thursday, the Europarliament ratified the Association Agreement signed on June 27. A total of 490 deputies voted for, 76 — against and 57 abstained from the voting.

The agreement will become fully effective after the parliaments of all 28 European Union countries ratify it. As of Thursday, it has been ratified by the parliaments of Bulgaria, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Sweden and Estonia.

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