Georgian PM asks European Council president to consistently raise Georgian issues during EU-Russia meetings
European Council President Donald Tusk has positively assessed the Georgian presidential elections. Photo: Prime Minister’s press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has asked the European Council President Donald Tusk to constantly raise Georgian conflict issues during EU-Russia bilateral meeting formats.
The PM made the appeal during his meeting with Tusk in Brussels today, where top Georgian officials had come to inaugurate the new, unique format of cooperation between Georgia and the EU.
Bakhtadze briefed Tusk regarding Russian illegal activities in Georgia and spoke about the importance of the EU’s role in the conflict resolution process.
Excellent meeting btw @donaldtusk & #GEO delegation headed by PM @BakhtadzeMamuka. We discussed #Georgia-#EU exemplary relations and perspectives of further deepening cooperation. Grateful to the #EU for vocal support of #Georgia???????? pic.twitter.com/EtByqI4FxZ
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) November 21, 2018
Tusk gave positive assessments to the initiatives of the Georgian Dream government to peacefully settle conflicts and expressed readiness on behalf of the European Council to get involved in the implementation process of the initiatives.
Tusk also stated that Georgia has established the tradition of holding elections democratically and that the 28 November presidential elections were conducted fairly and transparently.
Georgian representative to the EU Natalie Sabanadze said Georgian government members will hold meetings with European commissioners in three, thematic groups today.
The first group of meetings will concern economic, energy, transport and agricultural issues; the second group of meetings will be about science and culture and the third group of meetings will discuss security issues with a special emphasis on cyber security.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Vakhtang Makharoblishvili cited Tusk saying that the new format of meeting between Georgia and the EU indicates the “EU’s readiness to upgrade its relations with Georgia to a new level.”
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze and the Georgian delegation have met with Georgian diaspora in Brussels late yesterday and familiarised them with the initiatives offered by the Georgian government in support of Georgians living abroad.
Georgia and the EU will sign several deals tomorrow in Brussels at what will be the first of a new, unique format of meeting between the two parties. The deals will provide up to €231 million in support for Georgian education, economy and businesses.
Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze will visit Brussels with the government delegation on today.
The new format was announced by PM Bakhtadze last month. The format will entail a meeting between the Georgian PM and EU President once a year to assess the progress made by Georgia on its way to the EU and involve different ministers upon necessity.
The key outcomes of the meeting include €3.4 billion for transport investment projects, €100 million of additional access to finance in local currency for SMEs, support for additional academic and scientific exchanges, and a new programme to increase the security of Georgian citizens, the European Commission says.