19.12.2014. The European Parliament yesterday ratified the Association Agreement between the EU and Georgia. 490 deputies voted for the document, 76 were against, 57 deputies abstained. During the vote in the hall of the European Parliament were the current president of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, and ex-President Mikhail Saakashvili, who has been put on the wanted list in his country.
Economic expert Irakli Lekvinadze said what Georgia expects from the Association except the opening of borders. "This is a very important agreement for us, both politically and, of course, in economic terms. One of the points of the agreement is free trade, and for us this is very important. In the first place, of course, those companies that export their products from Georgia to Europe will benefit: before September 1, they paid customs tariff, from September 1 this tariff does not exist. This will affect those Georgian companies that export wine and various fruit concentrates to the EU, providing additional revenue. This is one of the benefits that we got in Georgia after ratification of the treaty," the expert said.
Economic expert Irakli Lekvinadze said what Georgia expects from the Association except the opening of borders. "This is a very important agreement for us, both politically and, of course, in economic terms. One of the points of the agreement is free trade, and for us this is very important. In the first place, of course, those companies that export their products from Georgia to Europe will benefit: before September 1, they paid customs tariff, from September 1 this tariff does not exist. This will affect those Georgian companies that export wine and various fruit concentrates to the EU, providing additional revenue. This is one of the benefits that we got in Georgia after ratification of the treaty," the expert said.