German Bundestag to share its experience with Georgia

Georgia-Germany parliamentary relations are deepening, says the Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament David Usupashvili.

Usupashvili announced Germany will share its experience developing a multi-party and democratic parliament with Georgia as a way to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and relations.

Yesterday the Georgian official met his German counterpart Norbert Lammert, who holds the title of president of the German lower house of parliament (the Bundestag). Lammert is currently on an official visit to Georgia.

Usupashvili thanked Lammert for developing democratic bodies, political parties and educational-cultural institutions.

After the meeting, Usupashvili said Georgia and Germany had long-standing "friendly relations”, but this cooperation had "gained new energy in recent years both at the level of parliaments and heads of government”.

"This visit is an expression of interest and attention existing in Germany towards our country and the region,” Usupashvili said.

Peace and regional security was also discussed at the meeting.

"Germany plays a very important role in resolving these problems. The German government is well aware about Georgia’s problems, occupation of Georgian territories by Russia and the threats that Georgia faces, and these issues are taken into consideration by Germany in international forums,” Usupashvili said.

Lammert also noted the "friendly” bilateral relations between the two countries and the Bundestag had begun proceedings to ratify the Georgia-European Union (EU) Association Agreement (AA) and expressed hope the process will be finalised by the time of the Eastern Partnership Summit, to be held in Riga in late May.

So far the AA has been ratified by the European Parliament and 13 EU member states: Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Slovakia, Estonia, Hungary, Sweden, Croatia, Denmark, Inland and Poland.

A large part of the agreement has already provisionally come into force since it was adopted in September last year however it cannot be fully implemented until all 28 EU member states ratify the agreement.

Lammert’s four-day visit to Georgia began yesterday and involved a meeting with President Giorgi Margvelashvili. His last visit to Georgia was in 2006.

The press office of the President of Georgia said bilateral relations, as well as regional security and the situation in Ukraine were discussed during the meeting between President Margvelashvili and the Bundestag president.

The German Embassy in Tbilisi said Lammert will remain in Georgia on official business until February 15 and while here, he will also meet Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili, representatives of civil society and head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.