US Vice-President Mike Pence Pays Official Visit to Georgia

After paying an official visit to Estonia, the United States (US) Vice-President Mike Pence has arrived in Georgia to meet Georgian officials and the leaders of the opposition parties.

The US Vice President is visiting Georgia as part of an official European tour. During the visit, he will also meet with the President of Georgia, the Prime Minister, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II as well as participants of the Noble Partner 2017 military exercise.

Michael Richard Pence is an American politician, lawyer, and the 48th Vice President of the United States. He previously served as the 50th Governor of the state of Indiana from 2013 to 2017.

Whilst serving as Governor of Indiana in January 2013, Pence initiated the largest tax cut in the state's history, pushing for more funding for education initiatives, and continued to increase the state's budget surplus. Pence signed bills intended to restrict abortions, including prohibiting abortions if the reason for the procedure was the fetus's race, gender, or disability.

On November 8, 2016, Pence was elected as Vice President, after he dropped out of his gubernatorial re-election campaign in July to become the vice-presidential running mate for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who went on to win the presidential election.

Pence’s plane landed in Tbilisi International Airport at 7pm on July 31. Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and the US Ambassador to Georgia, Ian Kelly welcomed pence and his spouse. PM Kvirikashvili and Pence first met in the US this May, when the Georgian PM paid an official visit to Washington.

Following his arrival, the officials went to the Funicular Restaurant Complex in the Mtatsminda District of Tbilisi to have an informal dinner. Official statements will be made tomorrow. It is expected that Pence will show support for Georgia in his speech, on behalf of the US Presidential Administration.

Georgiatoday.ge will update readers regarding further meetings and comments during the day.

#US VP #MikePence has arrived in Tbilisi #Georgia pic.twitter.com/6N2exVs6nk