Georgian PACE delegation supports Tiny Kox in President elections
He also noted while there had been an alternative candidate in the voting, the Georgian delegation had “essentially supported the continuation of the practice” established in the body. Photo: Georgian Dream Facebook page
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The Georgian representation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on Monday supported Tiny Kox in elections for the President of the body, with Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the Georgia’s ruling party, explaining the delegation’s support for the candidate.
Kobakhidze said it was “accepted practice” in the Council of Europe to see Presidents elected by a quota of a particular political party win reelection for a second term.
He also noted while there had been an alternative candidate in the voting, the Georgian delegation had “essentially supported the continuation of the practice” established in the body.
The Georgian official also said Oleksandr Mereshko, the Ukrainian other candidate in the election, had been involved in the adoption of “absolutely unacceptable changes” for the Georgian representation.
Kobakhidze later met Kox to discuss Georgia’s ongoing progress on implementing the European Union’s recommendations for granting the country a membership candidate status, progress made in the country on reforms, and the “current political processes” in the wider region.
The Georgian Dream Chair also congratulated Kox on his second term as PACE President, with the Dutch official thanking Kobakhidze for the support in the election and noting the CoE “fully supported” Georgia in its EU integration.
Kox was elected with 175 votes in the election held during the winter session of the PACE, winning his second term following his first spell last year.
Georgian Parliament Chair Shalva Papuashvili on Monday discussed Georgia’s implementation of its Association Agreement commitments with the European Union, ongoing EU integration and the agenda of the country’s Parliament in its spring sessions, in meetings with the United States and EU ambassadors.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker, on Monday said Georgia would “never become a place for circumventing the sanctions” imposed on Russia by the international community for its invasion of Ukraine.
Georgia is “one of the leading countries” in enforcement of international sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, the country’s Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili said on Monday.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday rejected the “false” premise in a CNN reporter’s question to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on an alleged export of sanctioned goods to Russia through Georgia.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday said the Georgian Government was acting for the “sole purpose” of “protecting and pursuing the national interests” of the country.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said Marija Burić, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, had “positively” assessed the ongoing reforms in Georgia, including those related to fulfilment of the European Union conditions for granting the country a membership candidate status.
Archil Talakvadze, the Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker, on Tuesday said an amendment had been made to the draft resolution of the Council of Europe’s upcoming summit in Reykjavik, calling for Russia to withdraw its troops from the Georgian territory.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday left for Iceland to participate in the Summits of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe in Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavík.
Tiny Kox, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on Tuesday expressed the Assembly’s “full support” for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, stressing Russia “must leave all occupied territories in Europe”.