Parliament Speaker Continues Brussels visit
Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava is continuing the May 16-20 visit to Brussels, where he held meetings with European Parliament President David Sassoli, several leading MEPs, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, and NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană.
At the May 19 meeting at the NATO Headquarters, the Deputy Secretary General and the Georgian Parliament Speaker discussed plans to further cooperation between Georgia and the Alliance. It is important to achieve Georgia’s goal for joining the NATO, “with a Membership Action Plan, or without it,” Speaker Kuchava stated after the meeting.
Also on May 19, at the meeting with Commissioner Várhelyi, the sides discussed future cooperation plans, as well as strengthening EU-Georgia ties through the Black Sea. “Stressed importance of implementation of 19 April political agreement,” Commissioner Várhelyi tweeted afterward, also pledging EU support for Georgia’s reform efforts, economic recovery, and fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
During yesterday’s meeting with President Sassoli, Speaker Kuchava said he asked for ensuring that the European Parliament sends an observation mission to the October 2021 local elections in Georgia. On his part, the European Parliament President welcomed “the decision of all political forces in Georgia to build a strong Parliament and ease political tensions.”
Also yesterday, the Georgian Parliament Speaker also sat down with David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affair Committee (AFET). According to Speaker Kuchava, the AFET supports Georgia’s plan to apply for EU membership in 2024, and “wishes” to see the country continue delivering on its progress in this context.
On May 18, Speaker Kuchava met as well MEP Marina Kaljurand (S&D, Estonia), Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the South Caucasus, and MEP Sven Mikser (S&D, Estonia), Standing Rapporteur on Georgia. He said the MEPs expressed hope that now on Georgian politicians “will be able to talk and resolve problems” in the Parliament. “They hope this [EU mediation process] was the last intervention” to help solve Georgia’s political crisis, Speaker Kuchava stressed.
“Happy to reiterate full support to Georgia’s democratic reforms, European and Transatlantic aspirations,” MEP Kaljurand tweeted on her part after the meeting.
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