Italy’s Foreign Minister: “Georgia worked hard to ease doing business for European investors”

Italy's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Paolo Gentiloni, says the Government of Georgia has "worked hard” to create beneficial situation for European businesses to invest in the country.

Gentiloni, who arrived in Georgia yesterday, stressed after Georgia signed its Association Agreement (AA) and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) deal with the European Union (EU), more European business people had shown interest in investing in Georgia.

We must do our utmost to inform Italian companies about Georgia and provide them with all necessary information about the country’s business opportunities,” Gentiloni said after meeting with his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Janelidze this morning.

.@JanelidzeMkh & @PaoloGentiloni participated in the public event "#Italy-#Georgia Partnership & the future of #Europe" #Tbilisi@ItalyMFApic.twitter.com/C4eWsQnYlf

— MFA of Georgia (@MFAgovge) November 7, 2016

The Italy-Georgia Business Forum scheduled in our country next year will also help to better business communication between the countries and will show Italian business people that they have huge business opportunities in Georgia,” the Italian high official added.

Janelidze said Georgia and Italy enjoyed "very good economic relations” and the trade turnover between the two nations had increased by 30 percent this year.

Italian companies are presented in many directions in Georgia, with energy and infrastructure among them. Now we are discussing ways to enhance bilateral relations in many directions,” Janelidze said.

On another note the officials also discussed Georgia’s efforts to strive towards Euro-Atlantic integration, Georgia-NATO relations and the country’s progress to gain visa-free travel with the EU.

Gentiloni stressed Italy "strongly supported” Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic choice, visa liberalisation with the EU, as well as Georgia’s sovereignty and the territorial integrity.

Georgia's President thanked Italy's Foreign Minister for his country's support for Georgia's territorial integrity. Photo by the President's press office. 

After the meeting with Janelidze Gentiloni met President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili, where the duo touched on a range of political and economic issues, also spoke about how to better enhance scientific, cultural and educational ties.

Georgia's President thanked the Italian high official for his country’s support of Georgia’s territorial integrity.

Also today Gentiloni visited the memorial honouring Georgia's fallen heroes in central Tbilisi and viewed the Justice House together with Georgia's Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani.

Before Gentiloni departs the country later today he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.