President Zurabishvili Visits Brussels, Meets Michel, von der Leyen
President Zurabishvili is visiting Brussels to meet with EU leaders, including European Council President Charles Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The President traveled to the Belgian capital as part of her broader European tour, during which she visited Germany, France, and Poland, holding several high-level meetings and participating in the Warsaw Security Forum, among others.
Coming less than a month before the crucial October 26 elections, discussions in Brussels focused on Georgia’s European integration, democratic reforms, upcoming vote, and the EU’s support in this context.
“As a candidate country, Georgia needs to deepen its reforms in line with our common democratic values,” Charles Michel said in an X post he shared after what he described as a meeting with Zurabishvili “at a crucial moment for Georgia.” According to the EU leader, “reforms, the rule of law, and democratic principles are at the core of the EU path.”
European Council President further stressed that “a decision on Georgia’s future can only be made in Georgia by the Georgian people.”
Zurabishvili in turn said on X that during the meeting she “extended gratitude on behalf of our nation to Georgia’s friend Charles Michel, who has steadfastly supported our European path.” According to the President, the EU’s support is “vital” for Georgia “at this pivotal moment,” specifying that “moral backing and election observers will empower the Georgian people as we reaffirm our commitment to the European future.”
Meeting with Commission President von der Leyen
The Georgian President also met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who later expressed “great respect” for Zurabishvili’s “commitment to Georgia’s European path.”
“Our meeting comes at an important moment—the upcoming elections will be a crucial test for Georgia’s democracy. And a defining moment for the future of EU-Georgia relations,” von der Leyen said in a post she shared on X.
In a separate X post, President Zurabishvili said she reaffirmed to von der Leyen “the Georgian people’s commitment to accelerating our European path.”
“I emphasized the crucial importance of European moral support to ensure the Georgian people don’t feel isolated as they declare their European choice on October 26th,” Zurabishvili added.
Zurabishvili has repeatedly traveled to European capitals to salvage her country’s EU chances amid deteriorating relations between Tbilisi and Brussels as a result of the Georgian government’s anti-democratic turn and anti-Western rhetoric. The visits even cost Zurabishvili a constitutional court battle with the government, which claimed that her trips were not sanctioned by the authorities.
Also Read:
- 02/10/2024 – President Zurabishvili Attends Warsaw Security Forum, Meets Polish Counterpart
- 30/09/2024 – President Salome Zurabishvili Meets German Counterpart in Berlin Ahead of Elections
- 28/09/2024 – “Before Bucha was Abkhazia” Screened at French National Assembly
- 02/10/2024 – President Refuses to Sign Anti-LGBT Law
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
