Time in Tbilisi: March 29, 2024 13:21
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has praised the efforts of the Georgian government against the coronavirus, saying that the country is coping with the virus successfully.
Stoltenberg phoned Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani to relay this message and say that the NATO foreign ministerial on April 3-4 will be held in a restricted manner, Georgian Foreign Ministry said.
NATO stands by the Georgian government and its people in the fight against the coronavirus,” the foreign ministry cited Stoltenberg as saying.
The ministry said that Zalkaliani briefed Stoltenberg about the measures being taken by the Georgian government to contain the spread of the virus.
NATO-Georgia relations have also been discussed. Stoltenberg welcomed the ongoing, democratic process in the country. He said that NATO will continue work to provide further support for Georgia, stating that the current situation will not create obstacles for NATO-Georgia cooperation,” the ministry stated.
The ambassadors of the EU and the US have also praised the Georgian government for its efforts against the virus.
Top state officials from the UK and Spain have expressed their gratitude to Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili for her words of solidarity in these hard times due to the coronavirus.
Thirteen individuals have recovered from coronavirus in Georgia. Since February 26, 2020 Georgia has had 81 confirmed cases of the virus. Two were foreign citizens who left the country earlier this month via a charter flight. As of now there are 66 patients in the country infected with the virus, including several minors. The health condition of all minors is stable.
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has praised the Georgian government for its ‘proactive steps’ to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus. “These are challenging times, and we are all trying to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and healthy. We at the U.S. Embassy are particularly grateful for the pro-active efforts of the government of Georgia, including the NCDC, the PM, the president, almost every ministry, and parliament, doing their best to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus and minimize its impacts”, she 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.
Police have fined seven individuals for violating the state of emergency rules in the Georgian regions of Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Kvemo Kartli, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Adjara and Kakheti.
A new hospital has opened in the village of Rukhi located about a kilometre from Enguri Bridge, which connects Russia-occupied Abkhazia with the rest of Georgia. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said the new hospital will offer qualitative care to people living on both sides of the occupation line.
Head of the Georgian National Centre for Disease Control Amiran Gamkrelidze said today that two sources of COVID-19 transmission out of the 85 confirmed cases could not be identified. Calling on everyone to stay home, he said “social distancing is the most powerful weapon" against the coronavirus.
Two more individuals have recovered from the new coronavirus in Georgia out of the 90 confirmed cases in the country, increasing the number of recovered individuals to sixteen.
Georgian officials have welcomed North Macedonia becoming the 30th member of NATO. President Salome Zurabishvili said the enlargement “of this great family” strengthens international security.
NATO Foreign Ministers have decided to deepen their partnerships with Georgia and Ukraine including with exercises in the strategic Black Sea region. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this includes joint work to counter hybrid warfare, as well as efforts to share more air traffic radar data, “making the skies safer for all”.
The Georgian National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and National Parliamentary Library are hosting a virtual exhibition dedicated to Georgian medical personnel fighting on the front line against the new coronavirus.
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.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella has praised the measures and achievements of Georgia in the fight against the pandemic.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the President of Georgia Salome Zurabishvili have discussed NATO-Georgia relations during the global crisis caused by COVID-19. President Zurabishvili noted that despite the crisis, Georgia’s relations with the European Union and NATO are strengthening.
Georgian epidemiologists say they are proud of the feedback they have received from the US government’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, who said Georgia is coping well with the coronavirus pandemic in a letter sent to the Head of Tbilisi Infectious Disease Hospital Tengiz Tsertsvadze.
The coronavirus infection rate continues to slow in Georgia, with the country reporting just five new cases earlier today. As of May 14, 257 people remain infected with COVID-19 in Georgia, while the figure was 264 yesterday. Since February 2020 Georgia has had 652 cases of the coronavirus. 383 of the 652 people have recovered and 12 others have died.
Georgia today is a worthy, strategic partner of NATO, a reliable ally and the most compatible aspirant to the organisation in the region, said Georgian Defence Minister Irakli Gharibashvili earlier today.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will meet Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia at NATO headquarters in Brussels on September 29, the NATO press office has reported.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that Georgia and Ukraine are high-valued partners of NATO ‘for many reasons’ and that the importance of the two states has particularly increased due to the strategic importance of the Black Sea region.