Georgian president says diaspora should have representative in parliament
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili believes the Georgian diaspora should have their voice in the Georgian parliament. Photo: President’s press office.
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Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, currently on her first official trip in Brussels, has stated that the Georgian diaspora should have a representative in the Georgian parliament, which will increase the involvement of Georgians living abroad in the country’s internal issues.
Zurabishvili made the statement yesterday during her meeting with members of the Georgian diaspora in Belgium.
Georgian Presidents spoke about the high role of Georgian students abroad. Photo: President's press office.
Zurabishvili has also met with Georgian students, who asked her questions about their roles in the popularisation of Georgia abroad, as well as about their prospects when they return back in Georgia.
Today Zurabishvili is scheduled to meet with the presidents of the European Council, European Commission and the European Parliament, as well as the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini.
Georgian Ambassador to the EU Natalie Sabanadze says that Zurabishvili’s visit was “much awaited at the headquarters of NATO and the EU".
Recently elected President Salome Zurabishvili has held her first meeting with the media, during which she spoke about her foreign policy priorities and answered journalists’ questions on the most controversial domestic or international issues.
The Georgian presidential administration is undergoing a staff restructuring, which will cut the number of employees within the body to 60.
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 President-elect Salome Zurabishvili had told the international media that Russia has to be held accountable for its aggression in Georgia and Ukraine.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has met with the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn in Brussels today, during her first official trip abroad to speak about Georgia’s European intentions and goals.
"The president spoke about the current situation in the two Georgian occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) and the severe humanitarian situation there,” the press office said.
The European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker told Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in Brussels yesterday that her first official visit to EU headquarters was “symbolic,” revealing the will of the Georgian people to be with the EU.
Current situation in the two occupied regions of Georgia Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) were in focus of the meeting between Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini in Brussels today.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili met with EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Dimitris Avramopoulos yesterday in Brussels to discuss challenges related to Georgian asylum seekers and the issues of labour migration.
Georgian Prime Minister and President, as well as the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II have emphasised the role of the Georgian diaspora in the maintenance of the EU-Georgia visa free deal, “one of the biggest achievements of the country,” at the diaspora forum held in Tbilisi earlier today.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has been gifted a series of historic letters exchanged between Foreign Minister of the First Democratic Republic Republic of Georgia Akaki Chkhenkeli and Sir Eric Drummond, first secretary-general of the League of Nations, which took place before the Soviet Union occupied Georgia in 1921.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has joined the Commission for Urgent Action on Energy Efficiency of the International Energy Agency (IEA) – a global platform studying how to quickly speed up energy efficiency progress through new and stronger policy action.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has delivered a speech at the session dedicated to universal healthcare coverage, held at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, saying that 90 per cent of Georgians have access to universal healthcare services while the opportunity is not fully available for Georgian citizens living in the Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
Biometric passports will be available for Georgian citizens residing abroad at half price, while ID cards - for free during the Georgian Diaspora Days between May 24 and June 7.