Georgian President leaves for Brussels on her first official trip

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has left for Brussels, Belgium on her first official trip, where she will hold high-level meetings at the headquarters of the EU and NATO, the president’s administration has reported.

Georgian Ambasador to the EU Natalie Sabanadze says that Zurabishvili’s first visit to Brussels contains a “political message” and the visit is “much expected.”

The president will meet with our partners in the EU and NATO. Meetings are scheduled with the president of the European Council, European Commission and the European Parliament.

Zurabishvili is scheduled to return on 23 January.

A meeting will also take place with the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and EU Commissioner Dimitris Avramopolous. I am sure that the president will once again state how important the European integration is for us,” Sabanadze said.

During her first meeting with the media on 11 January Zurabishvili said her three top foreign priorities include:

• Raising Georgia-related issues more actively on the international arena
• Further enhancing Georgia-EU relations
• Fostering closer relations with representatives of the Georgian diaspora

Zurabishvili, the first female president of Georgia, was elected back in November 2018.  She is the fifth president of the country and the last to be elected by direct popular vote.

Unlike her predecessors, her term in office will be six years, not five.