Georgian PM, Swedish Foreign Trade Minister discuss bilateral relations
The sides talked about the controversial domestic bill on the transparency of foreign influence. Kobakhidze explained that adopting the law would help strengthen Georgia’s state sovereignty. Photo via Government Administration
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and Johan Forssell, the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, on Tuesday discussed the bilateral relations and tangible results in politics, trade, economy and defence, as well as security, education and culture.
Kobakhidze and Forssell reviewed Georgia’s European integration process, with the Georgian PM highlighting his Government’s efforts on this path and the importance of the support of the Western partners.
The conversation also touched on the security challenges in the Black Sea region, the Government Administration said.
The sides talked about the controversial domestic bill on the transparency of foreign influence, which calls for the registration of non-commercial legal entities and media outlets in the country as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they derive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.
Kobakhidze explained that adopting the law would help strengthen Georgia’s state sovereignty.
Anna Lyberg, the Swedish Ambassador to Georgia, on Thursday said her Government had decided to donate 5 million krona ($490,000) to the country as a part of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package.
Close relations between Georgia and Sweden, the current agenda of cooperation and opportunities for its deepening were discussed on Monday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billström.
In the “long process” of European integration, Georgia has to have “strong national unity,” and to “uphold” European values of democracy, human rights, equality and the rule of law, Swedish Ambassador Ulrik Tidestrom said on Friday.
Ulrik Tideström, the ambassador of Sweden to Georgia, on Tuesday said the European Union had opened its door to Georgia and “clearly recognised” the country’s European perspective.