EU newcomers urge Georgia to stay on course for EU, NATO entry

(VILNIUS) - Five of the European Union's newest members on Monday urged Georgia to continue reforms paving the way to EU and NATO entry after an opposition party led by a Moscow-friendly tycoon won last week's legislative election.

In a joint letter, the foreign ministers of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania called on billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream coalition defeated President Mikheil Saakashvili's ruling party, to keep on track for "European and Euro-Atlantic integration" and "spare no energy nor enthusiasm in undertaking the necessary reforms".

In the letter addressed to both Ivanishvili and Saakashvili, the ministers also urged the political rivals to "ensure that the newly elected parliament will undertake its functions in an orderly and constructive manner".

"We strongly believe that today is the time to work together for the benefit of national unity and in the interests of Georgia," the ministers stressed.

Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream could hold 83 seats in the 150-seat parliament with Saakashvili's United National Movement taking the remaining 67, according to the latest unfinalised figures from the central election commission after the October 1 poll.

Saakashvili has promised a smooth transfer of power, and on Friday representatives of his party and Georgian Dream launched negotiations about the handover. Ivanishvili said it was possible that he might also meet Saakashvili face-to-face on Tuesday.

The future prime minister has also said that Georgia's declared strategic goals of entry into both NATO and the EU would remain his government's priorities, but that he would also endeavour to normalise relations with Russia, in tatters since a five-day war in 2008.