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And i certainly am one that is pushing on all these directions so that we deliver what we have to deliver. but again, i would say that today, tomorrow, the decision of the eu has to be a more strategic one than one based formally on the criteria. not to say that we push aside the democratic reforms, that it's not important. sure. but i think that at this moment, what is predominant is the strategic issue and the risks of giving to russia the wrong message about georgia. all right. do you think the european union really wants georgia? because i tell you what the former deputy chair of the rulin...

And of moldova. and maybe in the last year or so, our positions on certain european recommendations and on the charles michel document that we had agreed on... charles michel is head of the european council. all of that did not make all the conditions for this granting to be immediate. yeah. but as i said before, what is important now, we have 12 recommendations of the european union, and i think that it's vital that in 2023, georgia is granted the candidate status, which doesn't mean membership. we'll have other criteria, more things to fulfil, more reforms to make. but in a strategic manner,...

Association agreement with the european union in 2014, and thisjune, the european union considered applications from georgia alongside ukraine and moldova. did not grant georgia candidate status. you have called for pro—eu rallies in georgia. you've attended them yourself. you're very firmly pushing georgia towards that western european camp. so how disappointed were you when that decision was made? i was disappointed. the georgian population was disappointed. but at the same time, i think i understood and we understood that there was a specific situation of ukraine. ukraine got us where we ...

In order to prevent any attempt or any dream by russia of doing something is for our european partners to consolidate our path towards europe. and in that sense, i think that we have to have a positive answer to the candidate status. i don't think that we can afford a second no, because that would give the wrong message to russia, that suddenly georgia has become a grey zone, not a country determined tojoin european union and nato, but a country that is considered by the europeans of being of a different category. so i think that we have to be very clear. clarity is our best defence. and do yo...

That we have to have a positive answer to the candidate status. i don't think that we can afford a second no, because that would give the wrong message to russia, that suddenly georgia has become a grey zone, not a country determined tojoin european union and nato, but a country that is considered by the europeans of being of a different category. so i think that we have to be very clear. clarity is our best defence. and do you think that the government... because of course, as head of state, you are not head of government. that's the prime minister. do you think that the ruling georgian dream...