Georgian PM, ministers, leave for Brussels to attend EU-Georgia Association Council meeting
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili (L) and EU ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell have left for Brussels together. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, along with the EU ambassador to Georgia and three ministers have left for Brussels earlier today to attend the sixth meeting of the EU-Georgia Association Council.
The meeting will concern regional, Georgian political and economic issues, as well as the ongoing, EU-mediated talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of opposition leader Nika Melia and the co-founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Giorgi Rurua.
Garibashvili is scheduled to hold his first meeting with the European Council President Charles Michel who paid a visit to Georgia on March 1 and delegated a mediator in the Georgian ruling party-opposition talks following the visit.
The mediator Christian Danielsson is still in Georgia because his three-days meetings with all parties in Tbilisi ended without the result.
Georgian opposition parties say that if no agreement is reached with the ruling party in the coming hours, the Georgian delegation will face problems in Brussels. Photo: EU delegation to Georgia.
Today is the fourth day of the visit and Danielsson has expressed his hope on ‘coming to some agreement’ by the end of the day.
The Georgian delegation which includes Garibashvili, Economic Minister Natia Turnava, Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani and Justice Minister Gocha Lortkipanidze will hold meetings at the European Parliament and NATO on March 17.
The same day Garibashvili will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenger.
NATO-Georgia Commission meeting will also take place.
Christian Danielsson, who is visiting Georgia to lead the EU-backed mediation effort in Georgia, has held follow-up meetings with the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition amid the current political tension.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has welcomed an upcoming visit of the EU mediator in the talks with the opposition to calm the current political tension in the country.
Vice-President of European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles has stated at the European Parliament today that the EU is looking forward to seeing Georgian political parties progress on dialogue.
European Council President Charles Michel has mandated Christian Danielsson to lead a EU-backed mediation effort in Georgia, in follow up to the relaunch of the political dialogue between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition. The appointment comes shortly after Michel’s visit to Georgia earlier this month.
A Georgian delegation headed by Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has left for Brussels, Belgium this morning to participate in the 6th EU-Georgia Association Committee meeting where along with political issues, economic ones will also be discussed.
Georgian opposition parties say that Christian Danielsson, who is the EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition, will stay in Tbilisi until the parties come to an agreement on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of opposition leader Nika Melia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who met with the European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels yesterday, has told journalists that the Georgian ruling party and the opposition must come to an agreement amid the current political tension, but a solution ‘must not be found at the expense of state interests.’
Vice-President of European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles stated at the press conference following the EU-Georgia Association Council earlier today that this meeting is being held in a ‘pivotal moment’ for Georgia amid the current political crisis.
The European Union pledges full support for boosting ferry traffic between Georgian-Bulgarian-Romanian and Ukrainian ports, says Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava.
Georgia and the European Union are discussing the possibility of laying a high voltage transmission line along Georgia's Black Sea seabed to connect Georgia and EU energy systems, announces Georgian Economy Minister Natia Turnava.