Georgia to benefit from EU financial support for socio-economic recovery during coronavirus outbreak
On April 21, High Representative Josep Borrell and Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia had a phone call, during which they discussed the coronavirus outbreak and expressed solidarity during the pandemic. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Georgia will benefit from over €183 million ($198,282,717) of redirected bilateral funds from the European Union in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
A support package for the six Eastern Partnership countries has been put in place totalling €80 million for the immediate needs of the countries’ health sectors and €883 million for short-term needs for socio-economic recovery.
On April 21, High Representative Josep Borrell and Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia had a phone call, during which they discussed the coronavirus outbreak and expressed solidarity during the pandemic.
Gakharia and Borrell agreed to further strengthen the relationship which is based on the Association Agreement between Georgia and EU.
The European Union is a strong supporter of Georgia’s reform process. It also firmly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. In this context, recent ‘’borderisation activities’’ along the Administrative Boundary Line of the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia are completely unacceptable”, reads the official statement published on the website of the EU.
PM Gakharia responded to the meeting with Borrell with a twitter post, mentioning that relations between Georgia and EU have never been stronger and now ‘it is the perfect time for setting bigger goals.’
Had a great call w/ @JosepBorrellF. We discussed the fight against pandemic & expressed appreciation for EU's financial support. As GEO-EU relations have never been stronger it is now the perfect time for setting bigger goals.
— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) April 22, 2020
Georgia has reported three new cases of the coronavirus earlier today, bringing the total number of cases to 411.
98 of the 411 people have recovered, while five others have died.
As of today 306 individuals inside the country remain infected with the coronavirus.
5,160 people are under quarantine and 579 others in hospitals.
"These are very difficult times not only for the EU, but for our partner countries as well. We are doing all we can to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on human lives and livelihoods. We are responding both to the immediate needs of the health systems, as well as longer term needs to the most vulnerable groups in society and small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the economies in the six countries,” Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell says that when the coronavirus is ‘turning the world upside down’ he ‘cannot think of a better place to be right now than here in Georgia.’Hartzell states that there are no easy answers regarding COVID-19 and that the EU is suffering much from the virus.“Just look at the pictures coming out of Spain and Italy these days. In this context I would like to congratulate the Georgian government and the Georgian politicians for doing what all evidence suggest is the right approach – to act early and to act robustly,” Hartzell said.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia wrote on his twitter account that Georgia-EU relations are stronger than ever. He thanked the European Commission for additional support of 150 million euros to help Georgia limit the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
Five more individuals tested positive for coronavirus in Georgia increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 416. Meanwhile, nine infected individuals have recuperated from the virus bringing the total number of recoveries to 107.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has praised the measures taken by the government of Georgia in the fight against the global pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), along with current economic and political reforms in the country during a video conference with the Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia held today.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has thanked EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell and US Ambassador Kelly Degnan for their efforts to provide rapid support for Georgia in the fight against the coronavirus. Gakharia said that the support of the country’s partners will be particularly essential in the post-crisis period to help the economy.
The European Union delegation to Georgia has welcomed the government of Georgia's anti-crisis plan and said that a clear gender analysis will be crucial to Georgia’s ‘successful handling’ of one of the negative key side effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia joined a video conference summing up the achievements of the European Union’s six Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries earlier today. The leaders reviewed strengthening cooperation between the EU and the EaP, as well as measures aimed to counter the COVID-19 pandemic.