EU Commits €183 mln to Georgia

The European Union will provide €183 million to help Georgia tackle the outbreak of COVID-19 and mitigate the effects of the crisis.

DG for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commissioner Lawrence Meredith wrote on Twitter that the EU will allocate a total of EUR 962 million to six countries of the Eastern Partnership to boost global containment of the virus.

“EU is providing €80 million of immediate & €883 million of short term support to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine for COVID19 outbreak,” Meredith Tweeted.

The European Commission has been at the center of the global fight against COVID-19 from the very onset. The EU’s official website enumerates the chief priorities in its struggle against the pathogen, focusing on the need to curb further spread of the virus, ensure adequate supply of medical equipment, promote research for treatment and support businesses and the economy as a whole.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “As cases continue to rise, public health is the number one priority. Whether it be boosting preparedness in Europe, in China or elsewhere, the international community must work together. Europe is here to play a leading role”.

The Commissioner for Crisis Management and European Emergency Response Coordinator, Jazen Lenarčič, said: “With more than 2,600 lives lost already, there is no option but to prepare at all levels. Our new aid package will support the World Health Organization and target funding to ensure countries with weaker health systems are not left behind. Our goal is to contain the outbreak at a global level.”

By Elene Dzebisashvili