The Presidents of Georgia and Croatia Hold a Joint Briefing

Following their meeting, the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, and the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, held a joint briefing.

In his remarks, President Mikheil Kavelashvili underscored that this first visit at the presidential level in the history of Georgia-Croatia relations will provide additional impetus to the further deepening of bilateral ties across all areas of shared interest.

"I am delighted to welcome you to our beautiful country and to the Presidential Palace.

I welcome the intensification of high-level contacts between our two countries. I am confident that your visit - the first at the presidential level in the history of Georgia-Croatia relations - will provide additional impetus to the further deepening of our ties across all areas of mutual interest."

During the meeting, we noted that the close cooperation between our countries is grounded in the traditionally friendly ties between our peoples, cultural affinity and shared values, which together constitute a solid foundation for the further development of bilateral relations.

As I emphasized in our discussions, historical memory, cultural identity, traditions and Christianity hold particular significance for our nations. It is precisely on the basis of this firm foundation that our peoples safeguard their national interests and sovereignty in a rapidly evolving world.

In the course of my discussions with President Milanović, we addressed the current bilateral agenda and exchanged views on ongoing global developments.

During our conversation, we noted that, within the contemporary multipolar international order, the protection of national interests, economic independence and informational sovereignty constitute the fundamental pillars of sovereignty," President Mikheil Kavelashvili stated.

According to the President of Georgia, particular emphasis must be placed on the mutual respect for and support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and Croatia, a commitment that was once again reaffirmed during the meeting.

"In the context of expanding the scope of sectoral bilateral cooperation, we focused on fostering partnerships between higher education institutions and research centres. At the same time, we underscored the necessity of close cooperation in the fields of youth policy, innovation and technology.

I also expressed hope that the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia will be opened in Georgia in the near future, which will constitute another important step forward in the further development of relations between our two countries.

It must be particularly emphasized that the mutual respect for and support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and Croatia was once again reaffirmed during our meeting.

At present, as you are well aware, Georgia-European Union relations are facing a number of challenges. Nevertheless, we remain confident that through constructive and active dialogue it is possible to overcome the existing differences between Georgia and the European Union and to normalize relations.

It is also important to emphasize that the European Union's enlargement policy should not serve as an instrument of manipulation through which certain actors within the European bureaucracy might seek to advance their own geopolitical interests.

Over the past several years, Georgia has demonstrated exemplary resilience and principled commitment in safeguarding its sovereignty, national interests, and peace - an achievement reflected in the high rates of economic growth recorded in recent years.

Fortunately, within the European Union there are states that do not turn a blind eye to unjust approaches, that recognize and objectively assess Georgia's progress, and that choose dialogue and diplomacy over aggressive rhetoric of certain EU bureaucrats. It is only through such an approach that genuine European values can be preserved. I take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his commitment to these values and express my hope that, in the near future, the number of such countries and political leaders in Europe will increase," President Mikheil Kavelashvili stated.

He further noted that Georgia stands ready to deepen bilateral relations with Croatia across the political, economic, technological, educational and cultural spheres, and to contribute to closer cooperation between the South Caucasus and the Balkan regions.

"The vector chosen by our Government - peace, stability and economic prosperity is unwavering. This is evidenced by Georgia's long-standing peace-oriented policy in the South Caucasus. We therefore welcome the engagement of external actors in this process.

The new geopolitical reality has significantly increased the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor. Georgia is taking all necessary measures to support the corridor's development, ensure its security and promote its effective functioning.

As a key node of the Middle Corridor, Georgia is keen to deepen cooperation with Croatia and to contribute to the development of the transport corridor connecting the Balkan region and Asia.

We are ready to develop bilateral relations with Croatia across the political, economic, technological, educational and cultural spheres, and to contribute to closer ties between the South Caucasus and the Balkan regions.

I take this opportunity to once again thank President Zoran Milanović and his delegation for their visit to Georgia," stated the President of Georgia.