Georgia’s PM and EU official discuss closer cooperation in migration and security

European Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos sat down with Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili yesterday in Brussels, Belgium and discussed migration and Georgia’s visa liberalisation issues.  

Avramopoulos praised Georgia for taking successful steps to gain visa liberalisation to the European Union (EU) and modernise its migration policy. 

The EU Commissioner positively evaluated Georgia’s efforts to implement the Georgia-EU Visa Liberalisation Action Plan (VLAP) that was recognised in the European Commission’s positive report  last year. 

The two officials also spoke about the importance of the Georgia-EU 2017-2020 Association Agreement agenda, and especially on establishing closer cooperation in migration and security. 

Speaking about migration issues, Georgia’s PM said the country had adopted a Law on Protection of Personal Data, and had developed a migration strategy and a subsequent action plan. 

Kvirikashvili left for Belgium on November 30 to participate in the third session of the EU-Georgia Association Council.

It was Kvirikashvili's first foreign trip since the October Parliamentary Elections and being reinstated as the country's Prime Minister. 

His first meeting in Brussels was held yesterday with European Parliament President Martin Schulz.

Georgia's PM was scheduled to hold meetings with several top EU and NATO representatives before he returned to Georgia on December 2.