Speaker Papuashvili Visits Berlin
Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili visited Berlin where he met with the President of the German Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, as well as the chairpersons of different committees of Germany’s federal representative body.
The Speaker is being accompanied on his trip by MPs Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chairperson of the Foreign Relations Committee, Anri Okhanashvili, the Chairperson of the Legal Issues Committee, Nino Iobashvili, the Deputy Chairperson of the European Integration Committee, Irakli Shatakishvili, Deputy Chairperson of the Procedural Issues and Rules Committee, Levan Kobiashvili, and Khatuna Samnidze.
Meeting with President Bas
According to the Georgian Parliament’s press release, during their meeting, Speaker Papuashvili expressed his “gratitude to Germany for supporting the territorial integrity of Georgia and the institutional and socioeconomic development of the country.”
The two sides discussed parliamentary cooperation while expressing their “commitment to enacting the ties between the Friendship Groups and sectoral Committees.”
Speaker Papuashvili also briefed President Bas on Georgia’s progress toward EU integration in terms of ongoing reforms.
The two sides noted that the new geopolitical context has “intensified the role of Georgia as a transit and logistic hub.”
Per the same information, on her part, President Bas positively assessed Georgia’s EU integration efforts while noting that Germany supports the granting of EU candidate status to Georgia.
Meeting with Chairperson of the EU Affairs Committee of Bundestag
While in Berlin, Speaker Papuashvili also met with Anton Hofreiter, the chairperson of the European Union Affairs Committee of the Bundestag.
During their discussion, the two sides underscored Germany’s “special role” in Georgia’s EU integration. In that context, Speaker Papuashvili briefed the Chairperson about Georgia’s progress in fulfilling the European Commission’s recommendations.
Per the Georgian Parliament, Hofreiter welcomed the EU’s enlargement policy and emphasized that Georgia can “count on Germany in this regard.”
Meeting with Chairperson of the Defense Committee of Bundestag
Speaker Papuashvili likewise met with the chairperson of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann to discuss the geopolitical situation and the consequences of the war in Ukraine for Europe.
Per the Georgian Parliament, Chairperson Strack-Zimmermann, drew attention to the energy crisis in Europe while stressing the transit potential of Georgia.
Closing out the meeting, the two sides agreed to intensify ties between the German Defense Committee and the Georgian Parliament’s Defense and Security Committee.
Meeting with Chairperson of Legal Affairs Committee of Bundestag
Speaker Papuashvili also had the opportunity to meet with the chairperson of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Bundestag, Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker, to discuss the importance of enhancing ties between committees.
In that context, they noted Germany’s commitment to providing aid to Georgia in terms of “legal harmonization and expertise.”
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
