Lithuanian President: We Condemn Georgia’s Annexation
VILNIUS – Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite criticized Russia’s actions in Georgia’s occupied territories – Abkhazia and South Ossetia – and expressed her full support of Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty while hosting Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili in Vilnius on Thursday.
“We see what is going on at the borders of Georgia, in South Ossetia and Abkhazia; this is Georgia’s annexation, which began and still continues. We strongly condemn this process[…]We are fully aware of the situation, because we have gone through the same period. We have overcome Russia's aggressive actions and if not us, who can understand better the challenges facing Georgia and, if not us, who can raise these issues at the international level,” stated President Grybauskaite at a joint press conference after her face to face meeting with Margvelashvili.
The Lithuanian President expressed hope that the visa-free travel will bring Georgia closer to Europe.
“Lithuania will always be a country, which will help Georgia in become a fully-fledged member of the European Union and NATO,” she added.
Dalia Grybauskaite emphasized that Lithuania has always supported Georgia’s European-Integration process. But she stressed that it is necessary to continue reforms in the judicial and civil sectors as well as in the Prosecutor's Office. Grybauskaite said Lithuania is concerned about the issue of media freedom and stressed that Europe is closely monitoring this process in Georgia.
“Freedom of speech and pluralism must be guaranteed and protected. Shortcomings in this regard can hinder Georgia’s European integration process,” she said, adding that Lithuania is ready to help Georgia in achieving this goal.
President Margvelashvili pointed out that cooperation between Georgia and Lithuania – as a result of which Georgia has reached the Association Agreement, the Free Trade Agreement, and the visa-free travel regime – will further be strengthened.
“Georgia feels the support from Lithuanian authorities and people everyday, and my visit is another example of our friendship,” the Georgian President said.
Margvelashvili also mentioned the upcoming NATO Summit which will be attended only by NATO member states in May.
“We are aware that non-member countries will not participate in this Summit. I have asked President Grybauskaite, our friend who has represented Georgia’s interests at many summits, to raise the topic of Georgia,” stated Margvelashvili.
Georgia’s President also had meetings with the Speaker of the Seimas, Viktoras Pranckietis, and with the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Saulius Skvernelis.
Margvelashvili noted that Georgia, one of the best countries for doing business, is interested in attracting Lithuanian investments and in strengthening economic ties with Lithuania.
The delegation of the Georgian President included members of his administration, opposition politicians and Abkhazian and Ossetian citizens. This was Margvelashvili's first visa-free trip to the EU since Georgia's visa-liberalization went into force on March 28.