PM: “Despite internal and external challenges Georgia stands firm for EU integration”

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has delivered a speech at today’s international parliamentary meeting in Tbilisi, highlighting the importance of joint activities against shared challenges in the region.

It is the common goal to keep united, strong Europe, which will be ready, in the case of relevant conditions, to open its door to Georgia and other European nations,” Kvirikashvili said.

The PM highlighted that despite internal and external challenges the government of Georgia was taking all necessary steps for building a developed, European-style Georgia.

Kvirikashvili recalled the most recent EaP meeting in Brussels, which emphasized successful Georgian reforms and state advancement.

We were promised support for our European values and in the integration process with the EU at the meeting,” Kvirikashvili said.

 Georgia values new opportunities for deeper cooperation with its partners and we will try to maximally use the opportunities to further strengthen our democratic institutions, refine governance, ensure better living conditions in line with European legislation, provide better infrastructure and support people-to-people connections,” Kvirikashvili said.

The meeting brought together parliamentary delegations from 17 countries. Photo by prime minister's press office. 

The PM stated that the implementation of the Georgia-EU Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area deals, as well as further integration with the EU were "key goals” for the government of Georgia.

In his speech Kvirikashvili stated that the rights of Georgian citizens living in the occupied regions "are massively violated.”

We also have to cope with such modern challenges as hybrid threats and propaganda,” the PM said.

Responding to security and other challenges is possible through joint efforts,” the PM said.

At the end of the speech Kvirikashvili stated that from 2014, Georgia moved to a fully parliamentary model of governance and the close cooperation between the legislative and executive bodies would play a crucial role in the European integration process.

The international parliamentary conference: EU and Partners – Embracing Diversity for Stronger Unity on 4 and 5 December aims to discuss integration with the EU as a framework for promoting internal reforms, indicating the benefits and challenges associated with the EU-inspired transformation.

The conference held at Tbilisi Palace of the Parliament of Georgia brought together representatives of the parliaments of the EU member states, candidate EaP countries, members of the European Parliament, Georgian government, civil society and international organizations