A group of international experts have arrived in Georgia to assess the country’s progress towards European Union integration.
Special Envoys for the Eastern Partnership and Ambassadors from Lithuania, Sweden, France and Romania, touched down in Georgia this morning and have since met with the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Tamar Beruchashvili, to discuss the successes and challenges of Georgia’s EU integration.
During the meeting, Beruchashvili informed the EU member states’ Ambassadors of the steps undertaken by the Georgian Government to ensure the country was eligible to sign the Association and Free Trade Agreements between Georgia and the EU this autumn.
The guests were interested in the country’s progress regarding its preparation to sign the Association Agreement (AA), which aimed to define the challenges for future technical and financial assistance.
In this context, both sides emphasized signing of the AA between Georgia and the EU will be a formula to success of the Eastern Partnership.
"We have to fully use all the benefits that the Eastern Partnership could bring to Georgia including to attract more financial and technical assistance,” Beruchashvili said.
Following the meeting, Lithuania Ambassador Vaidotas Verba, highlighted the importance of the EU Ambassadors’ visit.
"Our role is to find out what could be done on both sides, here in Georgia and in the European Union, to better understand and make the Association Agreement implementation process more effective,” Verba said.
"We have to work with different parts of society, not only with the Government.”
The EU member states’ Ambassadors also plan to visit the Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone to familiarize themselves with the ongoing tense situation.
Together with diplomats, the former Vice-President of the European Commission Gunter Verheugen will also visit the village of Atotsi, which is located near the occupation line.
In February, Russian troops began to reinstall barbed wire fences near the village.