2016-11-30
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament:
"I want to thank the Prime Minister of Georgia, Mr. Kvirikashvili, for our meaningful and interesting meaning today, our first meeting person, because we had extensive exchange over the phone.
I congratulate the Prime Minister on very large victory in the elections. I think it was an exceptional result. Honestly, I wish I could have such electoral success, so congratulations!
Our observation mission from the European Parliament, led by my colleague Ana Gomes, was very satisfied with the organization of the electoral process in your country.
We spoke about the long-term relationship between the European Union and Georgia, about the reform of the judiciary, fight against corruption. We also spoke about the current regional situation of the country in relation to its neighbors and geostrategic developments. We discussed very intensively the question of visa liberalization, and we went into the details of the ongoing negotiations between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. I expressed to the Prime Minister that I am still optimistic to find in the next coming days a solution between the Council and the European Parliament, a compromise, especially on what we call the suspension mechanism.
I want to underline once more that I give a guarantee to the Prime Minister that we, as the European Parliament and a European institution, defend and stick to the territorial integrity of Georgia as a nonnegotiable principle. You can count, Mr. Prime Minister, on the unconditional support of the European Parliament in these territorial questions.
Once more, it was a friendly meeting, and I am very happy that we had a very friendly and open-minded exchange at our first meeting."
Giorgi Kvirikashvili, Prime Minister of Georgia:
"Thank you
I would like to thank President Schulz for the very sincere and open discussion. I would like to take this opportunity and thank European parliament for supporting Georgia's European integration agenda and a very ambitious reform agenda, which is the highest priority of the Government of Georgia. I would like to underline personal support of President Schulz for his personal support in this very important process.
We are grateful to European Parliament for observer mission during the recent Parliamentary elections. According to all international observers' reports Parliamentary elections were assessed as free and pluralistic. With these elections Georgia held another test and proved itself as a mature democracy.
Through the extensive support of the EU Georgia has made substantial progress towards consolidating democracy, strengthening the rule of law and judicial independence. In our agenda for 2017-2020 we prioritize further reinforcement of the rule of law in our country and improving institutional standards towards the European standards.
These are the core values underlying the ambitious partnership between Georgia and the EU, which we are committed to defend and promote. The European Parliament's further engagement in supporting transformation and modernisation process in Georgia is central through incentivizing the reforms.
On this line, I would like to underline the importance of visa liberalization and thank President Schulz for very frank and open discussion. This deliverable expected by the majority of the Georgian population bears an enormous transformative power and represents an enormous incentive for continuing Georgia's reform agenda. We expect that internal procedures in Brussels will be finalized in the near future and expectations of Georgian citizens will be fulfilled.
Security issue remains one of the core elements of our cooperation agenda with the EU. We value the European Parliament's very vocal and bold stance condemning ongoing occupation of Georgian regions by Russia and its aftermath of severe security and humanitarian conditions.
To conclude, I would like to once again thank European Parliament of supporting Georgia's European aspirations and I would like to thank again President Schulz's for his personal contribution to build Georgia's European future."