EU Ambassador Hartzell: ‘Georgia’s European path is built on solid ground’
Noting that Georgia has celebrated Independence Day yesterday, Ambassador Hartzell said in his address that 'these days, every day in Georgia is Independence Day'. Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia/Twitter archive
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European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has stated earlier today that ‘Georgia’s European path is built on solid ground’.
He said Georgia was at the very beginning of Europe’s ancient history and culture, at the forefront of contemporary European political philosophy, and ‘this heritage remains deeply enshrined to this day in the citizens and society of this beautiful country’.
It is not flattery to say that Georgia possesses what it takes for it to really go airborne – even ballistic. I have seen a lot of rubble being cleared from the runway since I came here – even though, to be fair, a few new stones and small pieces of rock have also been thrown back onto it”, Ambassador Hartzell said.
He also noted that fundamentally ‘the entry ticket to deepened European integration and cooperation boils down to shared values’.
And here, I remain firm in my assessment that – whatever attempts are being made to exploit perceived differences between Georgian and European values – not only are they already solidly compatible, but they spring from the same source. And that is an additional strength”, he added.
Ambassador Hartzell also said in his speech that ‘working day-by-day to develop Georgia’s security, its economy, its export potential, its tourism industry, its educational system, its environment and energy supplies, and its democratic institutions are all part of the work that all of us gathered here today are taking part in’.
This, he said, 'it is all part of making sure that Georgia will remain the strong, prosperous, and sovereign country we all aspires for it to be’.
Carl Hartzell has delivered a speech at the joint conference of the government of Georgia and the Georgian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.
Germany has contributed €300,000 to the Peace Fund for a Better Future to encourage economic activities and business projects of the conflict-affected population living across the dividing lines of Georgia.
Greek airline company Aegean Airlines will resume flights on the route Athens-Tbilisi-Athens starting June 3, announces the Georgian Civil Aviation Agency. At first, flights will be carried out once a week, while the number of flights will gradually increase during the summer season, says the agency.
Dozens of countries around the world have illuminated their iconic buildings in red and white – the colours of Georgia’s national flag to mark the 30th anniversary of Georgia’s independence from the Soviet Union. To celebrate the Independence Day of Georgia, the Olympic stadium in Wroclaw was lit in red and white. The Georgian national anthem was also performed during the event.
“Georgians, we [the Polish people] are waiting for you in a united Europe, because you have been a part of its heritage for centuries. We are waiting for you in NATO, because you [Georgians] are a proud nation that deserves freedom, security and prosperity”, said Polish President Andrzej Duda during Independence Day official ceremony.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell says that today’s municipal elections are a test for Georgian democracy, ‘which I hope that Georgia will successfully pass’, he said earlier today.
The “ball is in Georgia's court” on the “big and difficult” job on the path of the country’s European Union membership process, Carl Hartzell, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, said at a press conference on the handover of the membership questionnaire to Georgian authorities on Monday.
Pawel Herczynski, the Managing Director for Common Security and Defence Policy and Crisis Response at the European External Action Service, has been nominated for the position of the Head of the European Union Delegation to Georgia, the EEAS said on Wednesday.
Pawel Herczynski, the European Union’s newly appointed Ambassador, on Friday, presented his credentials to Georgian Foreign Minister, Ilia Darchiashvili, after which the officials discussed the “wide range” of existing cooperation between Georgia and the EU, including the European Council’s decision to grant the country the European perspective.