2019-03-28
As Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze stated during the briefing before today's Government meeting, statements from various forces suggesting as though Georgia has disappeared from the political agenda of Western countries are totally irresponsible and false.
The head of Government informed the media about the last few days' ongoing activities related to Georgia's drawing closer to the EU and NATO.
"A good friend of our country, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Georgia, another demonstration of NATO's support of Georgia, of our nation's aspirations, and the reform package designed to help us on our way to NATO, or NATO's assistance in this process. The Secretary General praised the process of Georgia's accession to NATO, and emphasized our progress on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration. On the other hand, we hear lies, new fake news, suggesting as though Georgia has disappeared from the political agenda of Western countries, as though we have gone off the radar. I have no intention of seriously delving into assessing these statement. I only want to provide the public with the timeline of the past few days. Georgia is hosting the international exercise marking the first time when in NATO practice when a non-member state is leading this type of training, all the way through from planning to completion. In addition, the NATO Military Committee visited Georgia for the third time on the path of strong and growing NATO-Georgia cooperation," Mamuka Bakhtadze stated.
According to the Prime Minister, strong messages of support were also made in Brussels where the Georgian Foreign Minister participated in the Joint Meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission.
"We have heard strong messages, and we have planned further steps to enhance our coordination, including joint steps to be taken under the Black Sea Security Concept. Next week, the NATO Foreign Ministerial will be held in Washington, with one of the topics to be discussed involving the Black Sea Region, including Georgia and its place and role in partnership with NATO," Mamuka Bakhtadze said.
The Head of Government also commented on the 2nd anniversary of visa-free travel with the EU, assessing it as Georgia's historic achievement.
According to the Prime Minister, the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee will hold its meeting today in Strasbourg, where important statements will be made in relation to Georgia. The Head of Government also thanked the US Department of State and the State Secretary for voicing strong messages in Congress.
"I have just listed the timeline of the past few days in relation to our foreign policy and international aspirations. Nonetheless, we witness the machinery of lies, so called fake news, at work. What I have just discussed represents national interests, which are above all, any partisan interest. I am convinced that the public will exercise sound judgement in evaluating such statements from irresponsible forces who, on one hand, claim to be committed to our international aspirations to become a full member of NATO and the EU, and make such contradictory statements, on the other, claiming as though Georgia has dropped out of the political agenda of Western countries. These statements are utterly irresponsible and false. Georgia-NATO relations are at their highest ever, and so are the relations between Georgia and the United States. These are concrete facts, and everyone must get used to it," Mamuka Bakhtadze concluded.
Prime Minister's Press Office