Georgia’s European future discussed at 14th Batumi International Conference

Georgia’s high-ranking officials and delegates from partner and European Union (EU) nations have gathered in the Black Sea coastal town of Batumi for the 14th international conference dedicated to Georgia’s European future.

The two-day conference "Georgia’s European Way”, organised by the State Ministry for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, focuses on Georgia-EU relations as well as regional issues affecting Georgia and other nearby nations.

The live streaming of the conference "Georgia's European Way 2017"

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze addressed the conference that opened this morning. All of the three officials focused on two main topics: Democratic progress in Georgia and Russian occupation of Georgian regions.

"We will never tolerate occupation, violation of Georgia’s territorial integrity and we will activate all mechanisms and use all tribunes and all peaceful ways to achieve Georgia’s integrity and free our future generation from this hard legacy”, Kvirikashvili said.

@ConferencBatumi kicks-off with welcoming addresses @MargvelashviliG@KvirikashviliGi Irakli Kobakhidze @MarosSefcovic@VazilHudak#GEW2017pic.twitter.com/SBiflnrlIA

— David Dondua (@DavidDondua) July 13, 2017

European integration was in focus of President Margvelashvili’s speech.

"We can say with satisfaction that on the European path, the Georgian state and the Georgian nation are developing successfully. At the previous conference we were talking about the achievement Georgia had thanks to signing its Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. Today we are talking about the achievement that was brought to us thanks to the visa-liberalisation process”, Margvelashvili said.

This year's conference very symbolic as it is first one after launch of #Visafree regime- @KvirikashviliGi at #BatumiConference2017#GEW2017pic.twitter.com/TYrdnbSTlC

— BatumiConference (@ConferencBatumi) July 13, 2017

Parliament Speaker Koberidze stressed the role of democracy.

"Constitutional democracy is the foundation which not only Georgia’s but all of our region's’ security policy should be based on”, he said.

The Batumi Conference is attended by Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission Vice-President for Energy Union and Vazil Hudak, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank.

Georgia is at the heart of the EU eastern partnership & #EnergyUnion. My speech at #GEW2017 Conference in Batumi:https://t.co/yukkHZjIcdpic.twitter.com/kcKneMRe4l

— Maroš Šefčovič(@MarosSefcovic) July 13, 2017

Three important financial documents will be signed within the conference:

• The European Investment Bank will allocate €250 million within Georgia’s transport communication project;
• The European Investment Bank will allocate additional €3.5 million for rehabilitation of the Vardnili and Enguri Hydro Power Plants;
• The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will allocate funds to add 10 electronic and 20 diesel-powered buses to Batumi public transport.

The conference is taking place at Batumi Hilton Hotel and will end tomorrow.

Prior to his speech at the conference, Sefcovic met with Prime Minister Kvirikashvili. Following the discussions he tweeted:

PM @KvirikashviliGi & I committed to deepen EU-GE political association & strengthen economic integration. I welcome GE reform agenda pic.twitter.com/DxlkuI3Dsj

— Maroš Šefčovič (@MarosSefcovic) July 13, 2017