Austrian Chancellor on Gov't work: Georgia "moving in right direction”

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday highlighted the work of the Georgian Government by saying the country was" moving in the right direction”, in remarks during his first visit to Georgia.

In comments at a joint press briefing with his Georgian counterpart Irakli Garibashvili, Nehammer noted politics was "the art of opportunity", and added the Georgian Government was “mov[ing] in the corridor of opportunities”. 

The visiting official noted the occupation of Georgian regions and continued stationing of the Russian military on its territory, adding  “this automatically brings the reality that the policy implemented by Georgia must be expressed in a different reality”.

The head of the Austrian Government also noted he was “very glad” that Georgia had supported all financial sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union, noting the process was “really not easy” with "very high" pressure on the country. 

“A very large flow of refugees arrived from Russia [to Georgia since the start of the war in Ukraine], and this is also a very big challenge for the Georgian Government, especially in this difficult period”, Nehammer said.

The Chancellor also vowed his Government’s support for Georgia’s European integration path.

Austria, like the European Union as a whole, absolutely supports the territorial integrity of Georgia, and this is at the centre of our political activity when we act in relation to Georgia”, he concluded.