During the official visit of the Georgian Parliamentary Delegation to the Republic of Ireland, the European Union Affairs Committee of the Irish Parliament held a hearing with the Georgian delegation. The head of the delegation, Nikoloz Samkharadze, provided an overview of Georgia’s foreign policy priorities, ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, Georgia’s internal political processes, Georgia-Ireland relations, and the security environment in the South Caucasus and the Black Sea region.

The speaker also highlighted the challenging situation in the occupied territories of Georgia and the threats posed by Russia. Georgia’s accession to the European Union and the progress made in fulfilling the 12 recommendations of the European Union were also discussed, with particular emphasis on the importance of Georgia’s integration into the European Union for the stability and security of the region. The discussion was productive and provided an opportunity to deepen parliamentary ties and sectoral cooperation between the two countries.

“Georgia is currently facing significant challenges, including the ongoing occupation and a deteriorating security environment. Since the restoration of Georgia’s independence, Russia has targeted our country three times, resulting in the occupation and ethnic cleansing of 20% of our territory. On a daily basis, Russia continues to take provocative steps against Georgia in various forms, with the intent to escalate the situation. The recent events in Ukraine are a continuation of the policy Russia has been implementing against Georgia for years. We are deeply concerned about Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine and the broader region. We firmly believe that the only path to secure Georgia’s sovereignty and independence is through membership in the European Union and NATO. We have high hopes that this year we will make significant progress on this path, which is crucial for the stability and security of the entire region”, - said Nikoloz Samkharadze.

The Parliamentary Delegation is composed of the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Chair of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Committee Maia Bitadze, and the Chairman of the Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee, David Songhulashvili.