On May 16, Georgian Dream prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze attended the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Tirana, Albania. He was accompanied by GD foreign minister Maka Botchorishvili and GD government administration head Levan Zhorzholiani.
It was Irakli Kobakhidze’s first appearance alongside European leaders since the highly contested 2024 October general elections and the subsequent protests sparked by the ruling party’s decision in November, 2024 to halt the country’s EU accession.
The EPC’s sixth summit brought together 45 heads of state and government from across the European continent, 25 of whom were from EU member states. The informal, one-day gathering included three South Caucasus countries – Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, as well as Turkey, Ukraine and Moldova.
Kobakhidze’s Address at the Roundtable Discussion
The GD prime minister participated in a roundtable discussion, “Securing Europe and Strengthening Democratic Resilience.”
According to the official press release from the GD government administration, in his remarks, Kobakhidze emphasized “the importance of a strong Europe for a strong world,” and described “recent trends” as “alarming.”
“He noted that many European countries are facing the threat of losing their identity, while Europe is also weakening in its ability to act as a strong global player and protect its partners,” the press release notes.
“In this context,” the press release continues, Kobakhidze “referred to the devastating consequences of the war in Ukraine, stressing that in such circumstances, other countries cannot count on security guarantees.”
He also highlighted “Georgia’s achievements” and underscored the need “to change the unjust attitude toward the country.” Kobakhidze said that “Georgia outperforms several EU candidate countries in many key areas, and such unfair treatment damages the reputation of European institutions.”
“The Prime Minister of Georgia expressed hope that meaningful changes will take place in Europe and that the continent will grow stronger – something essential for safeguarding a rule-based international order,” the press release concludes.
The roundtable discussion was co-chaired by the Prime Ministers of the U.K. and Sweden, and attended by the prime ministers of Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Armenia, and Estonia, as well as the presidents of Greece, Ukraine, the European Council, and the European Parliament, along with the OSCE Secretary General.
Meetings
Kobakhidze’s met with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
On the meeting with Serbia’s Aleksandar Vučić, the GD government administration reports: “The parties discussed prospects of further deepening bilateral cooperation across a variety of spheres, along with challenges facing the two countries and Europe. Special attention in the meeting was paid to the importance of fair treatment, a key precondition of rules-based order.”
On the meeting with GD’s KSlovakia’s Robert Fico, the official press release says: “The conversation at the meeting focused on the bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries and challenges facing them. The prime ministers reiterated their commitment to further deepening their partnership.”
On the meeting with Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, the GD’s press release says: “The two leaders discussed the close political and economic cooperation between their countries. It was noted that the upcoming session of the Georgia-Hungary Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, to be held soon in Budapest, will contribute to further strengthening bilateral economic ties.”
Separately, GD Foreign Minister Maka Botchorishvili met with Serbian counterpart Marko Đurić on the sidelines of the Council of Europe’s 134th Ministerial Session. According to the Foreign Ministry, the officials discussed Serbia’s decision to open an embassy in Tbilisi and to launch direct flights between the two countries, “Both sides reaffirmed commitment to sovereignty & regional security,” the Ministry said.
Pro-government Media Reporting on the Event
Despite the Georgian Dream and its media’s attempts to present Kobakhidze as embraced by Western leaders, who have unprecedentedly isolated the ruling party over contested elections and ongoing repression, his meetings, all in informal settings, were apparently limited to just three leaders.
The pro-government media tried to portray the event as a breakthrough in the international isolation that the GD government has faced for months. The GD-controlled media circulated a video of Kobakhidze briefly interacting with French President Emmanuel Macron, who pats Kobakhidze on the back at the roundtable and engages him in brief chat.
At the roundtable, Kobakhidze sat between European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and Luxembourgish Prime Minister Luc Frieden. The GD government also shared pictures of face-to-face exchanges between them.
“I had the opportunity to speak with up to 30 leaders,” Kobakhidze told Georgian media at the summit.
“With President Macron, as with other leaders, I discussed topics related to Georgia’s development, European perspective, our role in the region, and so on,” he said, adding that he could not disclose specifics. “But generally, I can tell you that these conversations were about sharing our messages about Georgia’s interests.”
“As you know, there were some limitations in communication, [however] it seems that our European partners are thirsty for a relationship with Georgia,” Kobakhidze quipped.
by civil.ge
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