European Commission President Says Georgia is Advancing
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, September 27
The EU welcomes Georgia's progress in European integration and the positive trends in visa liberalization, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker told Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze in New York on Wednesday.
“The President of the European Commission praised the country's democratic, economic, and political reforms,” Prime Minister’s press office reported.
The Administration of the government of Georgia says that special emphasis of the meeting was placed on Georgia's roadmap for EU integration, the successful implementation of the Association Agreement and DCFTA, and the importance of the “unprecedented format” of high-level meetings with the EU, with its inaugural session to be held in November in Brussels under the chairmanship of the Georgian prime minister and the President of the European Commission.
Juncker and Bakhtadze also discussed the state of affairs in Georgia's occupied territories and the ongoing depopulation, a development characterized as "very distressing" by Juncker.
Jean-Claude Juncker lauded the Georgian Government's peace initiative A Step to a Better Future and reaffirmed support for the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Georgia pushed forward the peace initiative this year, which is comprised of three main elements.
Enhancing and simplifying trade along the boundary lines by creating new opportunities, including encouraging joint business initiatives
Creating additional opportunities for quality education and simplifying access at every level of education both at home and abroad
Sharing the benefits of the Georgia-EU cooperation with the people living in the country’s occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
