President Zourabichvili: “united stand” on Georgia’s EU bid, Ukraine needed
The President expressed gratitude to the staff of the Georgian Embassies and Consulates in Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv for their “personal and tireless dedication” on the backdrop of Russian invasion.Photo: Pia.ge.
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A “united stand” is required on both Georgia’s European Union membership bid and around Ukraine, President Salome Zourabichvili told the Georgian Parliament in her annual report on Monday.
The Georgian President welcomed the Prime Minister's statement on Georgia’s EU membership application and the resolution on the country’s accession to the Union that is being worked on by the legislative body, while also calling on MP’s to adopt the resolution unanimously.
Zourabichvili suggested to the political establishment these initiatives be united in a single document that would support the country’s application for membership, adding the move would be a sign of “full unity” around the issue and be sent to the EU.
Zourabischili also proposed a position of the Minister of State for EU Integration and a relevant office - which could be staffed from the opposition - be created “immediately”.
During her address, the President also called on the Government to create an expanded or modified format of the Security Council that would involve the “opposition spectrum” while discussing sensitive state security matters. She also urged political parties in the country to declare a moratorium on use of hate speech.
In comments on Ukraine, Zourabichvili thanked the Georgian people for initiatives of displaying solidarity for the country since the start of Russia’s invasion last month.
The President expressed gratitude to the staff of the Georgian Embassies and Consulates in Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv for their “personal and tireless dedication” on the backdrop of Russian invasion.
Georgia has stood and still stands with Ukraine and Ukrainians amid the ongoing war in the country, President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili said on Monday in her annual report to the Georgian Parliament.
President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili will present her annual report to the Georgian Parliament today, with MPs saying they expect her address to focus primarily on the situation in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion and the importance of consolidation on the Georgian political scene around the matter.
It is important for the European Union to maintain Georgia’s path to becoming a member state, President Salome Zourabichvili told European Council President Charles Michel on Tuesday.
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The opposition “sins” when it insults police force and its officers, President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili told the Georgian Parliament on Monday in reference to a protest where participants threw flour and ketchup at the law enforcers in Tbilisi.
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The Government of Georgia has been “forced” to ask the country’s Constitutional Court to confirm whether the President of Georgia violated the Constitution in her international visits, the Political Council of the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party said on Tuesday.
The question of impeachment of the President of Georgia is not in order, Irakli Kadagishvili, the Chairman of the Rules and Procedural Issues Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, said on Tuesday in response to a controversy around Salome Zourabichvili’s recent visits to Europe.
The Georgian Government has been doing “everything” to support Ukraine that can be done by a country that has parts of its territory occupied, President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili said in an interview released by Euronews on Wednesday.
Georgia’s "accelerated" European Union integration path and the security of the Black Sea region were discussed between President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili and Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in a phone call on Tuesday.
The European Union stands ready to step up its cooperation with Georgia to strengthen the country’s resilience, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said on Tuesday in a phone conversation with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili.
The “window of opportunity” for Georgia’s European integration was a topic of discussion between Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili and Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist on Wednesday.
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Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Tuesday appealed to Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, to take into account the “will of Georgian people” and the “road taken by the country” in the upcoming decision over granting European Union membership candidate status to Georgia.
Diplomats including the European Union Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell, United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan and her French and German counterparts Diego Colas and Hubert Knirsch on Thursday joined a rally in support of Georgia’s continued European integration in Tbilisi.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Wednesday vetoed a ruling party bill that extends scope and time limits on covert investigative actions, surveillance and wiretapping by state authorities, citing human rights concerns in her decision.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights of the Georgian Parliament, on Monday said the domestic surveillance bill was “absolutely compatible” with European standards of human rights protection.
If Georgia wants democracy, Europeanism and to be a strong state, it needs strong regions. Local self-government is one of the crucial issues for the country’s future, Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili said on Saturday at the international conference on Efficiency and Challenges of Local Self-Government in Georgia.
Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, on Tuesday reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to Georgia’s European integration path after his meeting with Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili in Brussels on Monday.