Georgia demands "fair treatment" from the European Union, which it has not received, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said at a joint briefing with EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell, disagreeing with his assessments. 

"I wouldn't put the issue as simply as Mr. Borrell did with the example of the student and the professor. We are in a much more serious and complex situation. Our main argument is as follows: we demand fair treatment. Last year, Ukraine and Moldova received status in the form of a bonus and an advance without implementing a single recommendation. And we did not get it. Georgians dislike injustice more than anything else. We will not get used to it. It is very important for us that your decision was fair", Garibashvili said.

Garibashvili also said: 

- If you really want Georgia to become a member of the European family, our position is as follows - Georgia should be granted candidate status by the end of the year;

- any negative decision of Brussels on Georgia will be a positive signal for Russia;

- Georgia has done everything that could be done in this short period of time in terms of recommendations for the status;

- we heard an assessment (by Josep Borrell) that only three recommendations have been fully implemented and there are different opinions on the other nine. In this, so to speak, you have a different approach.

- The Government of Georgia agrees that only three recommendations have not been properly implemented and this is being worked on: depolarization, deoligarchization and judicial reform; 

- after the EU offered conditions for Georgia, polarization in the country has not decreased but increased, the opposition is to blame, while the ruling party is ready to cooperate with everyone for rapprochement with the EU;

- if Georgia's European friends want polarization in Georgia to end, the country should be granted candidate status;

- the issue of impeachment of President Zourabichvili is purely an internal legal issue and should not affect European integration;

- Georgia has not acceded to some resolutions and statements based on national interests and the policy of non-recognition of the occupied territories; 

- Georgia joined more than 500 resolutions after Russia's invasion of Ukraine; 

- Georgia is neither a member of NATO nor of the European Union...and we measure the dangers and risks when 20% of our country is occupied; 

- no international body has been able to confirm the opposition's false claims that Georgia is not complying with international sanctions

- in the case of air traffic with Russia, Georgia "observes discipline" - not a single plane under sanctions is flying.

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