Dutch Defence Minister visits Georgia

The Dutch Defence Minister was welcomed to Georgia today with a traditional reception with live music performed by the Defence Ministry’s Military Band.

The Netherlands’ Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaerts arrived in Georgia today and spent the morning meeting with Georgian officials.

An official welcoming ceremony was held earlier today at the Defence Ministry, where the Ministry’s Military Band performed the national anthems of Georgia and the Netherlands.

After the official ceremony, Minister Hennis-Plasschaerts and Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Alasania went into a meeting, which was also attended by Georgia’s deputy Defence Minister Mikheil Darchiashvili and Chief of General Staff Major-General Vakhtang Kapanadze.

After the meeting Alasania and Hennis-Plasschaerts paid tribute to the Georgian heroes who died while protecting Georgia’s territorial integrity at the memorial at Heroes Square.

The Dutch official honored the soldiers with a minute of silence and led a wreath on the memorial.

Her one-day official visit to Georgia will also see Hennis-Plasschaerts meet with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

This was the first official visit of the Dutch leader to Georgia.