Georgia’s Parliament Speaker heads to Germany to advance visa liberalisation

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili is heading to Germany for official meetings to discuss two main topics about Georgia’s future: visa liberalisation and next month’s NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland.

Usupashvili will leave for Germany tomorrow and within his three-day visit he will meet several high officials including Bundestag President Norbert Lammert.

"Germany has been and will always be a very important partner for Georgia so any visit to Germany is important but of course in these days all of these events are doubly important,” Usupashvili said today.

He added the European Union (EU) currently faced several problematic issues and the final phase of Georgia’s visa liberalisation coincided with the migration crises in Europe.

"I’m going to visit our friends to have an honest and open conversation and find the best solution to this situation for both sides,” Georgia’s Parliament Speaker said.

He added he had "very positive” expectations of his Germany trip.

Usupashvili mentioned yesterday Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili had a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, which revolved around Georgia’s visa liberalisation efforts.

"It was a very positive conversation,” said Usupashvili, adding in about a week’s time Kvirikashvili would also visit Germany and meet Merkel in person.

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker stressed there was nothing else left for Georgia to do regarding visa liberalisation, as the country had fulfilled all of its responsibilities. Now it was up to the EU to make the final decision.

Usupashvili said his Germany visit was to "help our partners to do their part of the work on time”.

While in Germany Usupashvili was scheduled to speak at the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union of German Bundestag, and deliver a public speech at the Heinrich Boell Foundation.

Usupashvili will also meet the Adviser of the Federal Chancellor on Foreign and Security Policy Issues, the chair of Germany-South Caucasus Friendship Group and the chair of Defence Committee.