Georgia’s Interior Minister meets with EU leaders in Brussels

Georgian Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Mgebrishvili met with European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn in Brussels today to discuss the recent decision to cancel visa-requirements for Georgians.

Mgebrishvili believes that recent reforms carried out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which have touched largely on security matters and the police force, will bring Georgia closer to Europe.

Johannes Hahn welcomed Georgia’s latest and ongoing reforms and later tweeted about his meeting with Mgebrishvili. Photo from www.police.ge

Good meeting with Minister of Interior of #Georgia, Giorgi #Mghebrishvili on #Georgia's #reformagenda in home affairs matters. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/eV5ZBoG3r0

— Johannes Hahn (@JHahnEU) March 23, 2017

Mgebrishvili met with the European Commissioner on Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship issues Dimitris Avramopoulos yesterday, with whom he discussed the visa-free regime, Georgia-EU cooperation and the support of key European institutions to Georgia.

Minister Mgebrishvili thanked Avramopoulos for his support and contributions made to aid Georgia’s integration into European structures and the visa-liberalisation process.

A new chapter has been inaugurated… between the EU and Georgia. Very soon, in a few days, Georgian citizens will find the doors open to travel to Europe, but beyond that, today with the minister we discussed stronger and deeper cooperation in the field of security, the fight against organised crime, and I can say that I am very happy of the outcome of these excellent discussions”, Avramopoulos said.

#GIORGI#MGEBRISHVILI HELD MEETING WITH EURO-COMMISSIONER ON MIGRATION, HOME AFFAIRS AND CITIZENSHIP ISSUES - https://t.co/mbN5o5wKvQ

— MIA of Georgia (@MIAofGeorgia) March 23, 2017

Mgebrishvili said that the Georgian Ministry of Interior Affairs successfully cooperates with EU member states in the field of the fight against crime and has deployed police attachés in 13 partner states. In the nearest future an agreement on cooperation on operative and strategic levels will be signed with Europol after which Georgia will become a Europol partner state.

• European Parliament makes historic decision: Georgia becomes partner of Europol

Europol is the European Union’s law enforcement agency, the main goal of which is to achieve a safer Europe for the benefit of all EU citizens.