Council of Europe Launches Action Plan for Georgia (2016-2019)

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Daniel Mitov, and Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE), Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, paid an official visit to Georgia on 9 May 2016. The official launching of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Georgia (2016-2019) was held within the framework of the visit.

The Action Plan includes projects that have been or will be carried out by the Council of Europe in Georgia during the period 2016 to 2019, aimed at promoting co-operation with the Government of Georgia towards strengthening human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The Action Plan was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in March 2016, through consultations between the Government of Georgia and the Council of Europe.

Georgian Foreign Minister, Mikheil Janelidze, Bulgarian Minister Mitov and Ms. Battaini-Dragoni delivered their remarks during the launching ceremony, which was followed by a working meeting led by Director of the Council of Europe Office of the Directorate General of Programs (ODGP), Verena Taylor, and Georgian First Deputy Foreign Minister, Davit Zalkaliani. Ms. Taylor, Chairperson of the Supreme Court of Georgia, Nino Gvenetadze, Deputy First Minister of Corrections of Georgia, Tamar Khulordava, First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of Georgia, Ketevan Natriashvili, Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Tengiz Shergelashvili, Deputy Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs of Georgia, Revaz Javelidze, Deputy Chief Prosecutor, Mamuka Vasadze, and member of the Central Election Commission, Zurab Khrikadze, addressed the participants of the meeting, which, among others, was attended by representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps accredited to Georgia and officials from various government agencies.

Discussions during the working meeting focused on projects under the Council of Europe Action Plan 2016-2019. Representatives from the Georgian line ministries spoke about the priorities of co-operation with the Council of Europe under the Action Plan.

Following the launching ceremony, the Bulgarian and Georgian Foreign Ministers and the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe held a joint press conference.

“We enjoy express support from our strategic partner – the European Union, as well as from EU Member States,” Minister Janelidze said. “We continue to make efforts to mobilize further support for the effective implementation of this ambitious Action Plan, and we are glad that a large part of the Action Plan for 2013-2015 has been fulfilled successfully, according to our partners. It means that Georgia continues to effectively comply with its commitments undertaken within the framework of the Council of Europe.”

As part of their official visit to Georgia, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister and the Deputy Secretary General of the CoE held meetings with the President of Georgia, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, and the Speaker of the Parliament in which they highlighted the on-going reforms in Georgia in the areas of democracy, human rights and rule of law. Discussions also focused on the human rights situation in Georgia’s occupied territories.

The guests also visited the occupation line near the village of Khurvaleti and laid a wreath at the Fallen Heroes Memorial.