“European integration is the cornerstone of Georgian foreign policy and is supported by the people,” stated PM Garabshvil at the meeting.
The delegation was co-haired by PES Presidency Member and MP Tommy Waidelich, and Vice-President of the S&D group MEP Edit Herczog. “It is important that Georgia gets full support for closer integration with EU. Both governments, parties and the civil society in the EU have a role to play in this. Closer ties between people and organisations are needed to smooth the process,” Tommy Waidelich commented.
The delegation had the pleasure to meet the President of Georgia, Giorgo Margvelashvili, and to discuss with him the EU and Eastern partnership as well as how to make democracy in Georgia robust.
The delegation also met with MP David Usupashvili, speaker of the Georgian Parliament and visited the Administrative Border Line with South Ossetia that the Russians set up after the war in 2008. Another purpose of the visit was to meet and discuss with progressive parties such as the Georgian Dream-Democratic party and the Social Democrats for the Development of Georgia, to explore further ways of co-operation and contact.
Among delegations member were MEP Marusya Lyubcheva, MP Åsa Lindestam, Head of PES international unit Ann Linde, PvDA international secretary Kirsten Meijer, Evangelos Lepouras from the S&D group and Marina Ohanjanyan from the European Forum for Democray and Solidarity.
