(Read the full article on civil.ge)

It is important to lower Georgia’s ambitions and “manage expectations” because you will not “get a yes” in the planned 2024 EU membership application, MEP Marina Kaljurand said at a May 27 panel discussion hosted by Euractiv, Brussels-based pan-European titled “Georgia’s road to the EU: what’s next?”, Civil.ge reported.

MEP Kaljurand (S&D, Estonia), who chairs the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with the South Caucasus said Georgia should focus on sectoral integration instead of applying for membership, a process she said requires political consensus within the EU on enlargement, which is not “there yet.”

The lawmaker said Georgia’s approach of penning new strategies on digital and green development, and climate change is “excellent” for further aligning with the EU.

The failure to adopt constitutional reforms in 2019, and the political crisis that ensued after the 2020 parliamentary vote was a “reality check” for many in the EU, the MEP said, highlighting that previously the 27-bloc was used to the fact that Georgia was “the best in class” of the Eastern Partnership, Civil.ge reported.

Moving forward, MEP Kaljurand stressed, all opposition MPs should take up their mandates and begin working on constitutional and judicial reforms together with the ruling Georgian Dream party and the civil society. Georgia will have “full support” at the European Parliament as long as it delivers on the democratic reforms, she said.