European Council president Charles Michel visits Georgia
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, March 1
The President of the European Council Charles Michel will visit three countries from February 28 to March 3. Michel's visit to Georgia started yesterday, on February 28. President Michel met President Maia Sandu in Chisinau before flying to Georgia.
In Georgia, he is planning a special meeting with President Salome Zourabichvili, Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, and Parliament Chairman Archil Talakvadze.
The European Council President also plans to visit the administrative boundary line and meet opposition representatives to discuss the ongoing challenges and problems.
As for his visit to Ukraine, he plans to discuss the relations between the EU and Ukraine President Zelenskiy as well as the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the countries. The agenda also includes the future of the Eastern Partnership.
According to the Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia, Minister of Foreign Affairs Davit Zalkaliani, the visit of Charles Michel is an expression of the EU's support for Georgia as an important partner of the EU in the region.
Maka Bochorishvili, a member of the Georgian Dream and Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on European Integration, believes that the visit of the President of the European Council to Georgia should not be viewed solely in the light of domestic developments. In her words, the visit of Charles Michel “is of great importance in terms of foreign policy.”
As for the opposition, they believe that the President of the European Commission will have strict views on the ongoing events in the country.
The President of the European Council arrived in Georgia yesterday. He will have meetings with the representatives of the Georgian government today and leave the country tomorrow.
