Georgian PM leaves for Brussels to hold his 1st official meetings abroad with NATO, EU heads
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Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has left for Brussels on his first official visit in the post.
Bakhtadze is scheduled to hold his first meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today, after which Bakhtadze and Stoltenberg will make statements for the media.
On July 19 the head of the Council of Europe Donald Tusk will host Bakhtadze and they will also make statements for journalists after the meeting.
The PM is also scheduled to meet with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, Didier Reynders, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and with the Deputy Head of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis.
Georgian Ambassador to the EU Natalie Sabanadze stated that the fact that Georgian PM starts his foreign visits from Brussels is "very positively” viewed in NATO and EU.
She says that Georgian allies are waiting from the new prime minister that he will continue the foreign course Georgia has now.
Minister of Foreign Affairs David Zalkaliani and Defence Minister Levan Izoria are in Bakhtadze’s delegation.
David Zalkaliani as Foreign Minister, Giorgi Cherkezishvili as Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, and Nikoloz Gagua as Finance Minister are newcomers to the cabinet which took office immediately following the vote.
Candidate for Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has presented his vision about the country’s economic development at an extraordinary parliamentary session on June 20.
"Our first idea is to fully annul the tax arrears of the period before January 1, 2013”, PM designate Mamuka Bakhtadze said at the parliamentary majority meeting today. Bakhtadze presented the governmental program ‘Freedom, fast development, prosperity’ to MPs today.
The Georgian Dream ruling party candidate for Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze announced at today’s briefing that the number of ministries will decrease from 14 to 11.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has welcomed Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze to NATO Headquarters today reiterating the alliance’s support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations at a joint briefing.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has spoken about Russia’s illegalities on Georgian territory and reaffirmed Georgia’s commitment to European values during a press conference with the European Council President Donald Tusk today in Brussels.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, Didier Reynders, told Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze that the democratic reforms which have been carried out in Georgia are exciting.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze will leave for US on September 16 as he announced today.
The North Atlantic Council (NAC), a principal political decision-making body of NATO, held a meeting with Georgian and Ukrainian officials in Brussels. Regional security issues, along with Russia’s recent activities against Ukraine in the Sea of Azov, were key issues on the agenda of yesterday’s meeting, the Georgian Foreign Ministry reported.