Contents tagged with Georgia

  • European Commission submits legislative proposal to abolish visas for Georgian citizens

    On Wednesday, the European Commission announced they had submitted a legislative proposal for the liberalization of visas for Georgian citizens.

    The European Commissioner for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said this at the press conference in Brussels, according to the Evropeyskaya Pravda newspaper.

    "The Commission proposed today to abolish visas for Georgian citizens. The Commission proposes to include Georgia in the list of countries with which the EU has a visa-free regime," he said. …

  • Georgian President: Russian policy is one of the greatest threats to the Caucasus

    While speaking at the fourth Global Baku Forum organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center, Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili stated that Russian policy is one of the greatest threats to the region.

    "State security in the region changed significantly in a short period of time. The cornerstone of our common security in the region involves disrupting the creeping Russian occupation in Georgia, the events in Ukraine, the growing threat of terrorism and the crisis of refugees, “ …

  • NATO troops participate in winter mountain training exercise in Georgia

    Basic winter mountain training as part of the NATO program, Partnership for Peace, is currently being conducted in Bajuriani, Goergia. This was stated on the website of the Georgian Ministry of Defense.

    According to Sputnik-Georgia, Military personnel from Turkey, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine, Armenia and Azerbaijan are are participating in the exercises.

    These exercises are conducted by the trainers of the Sachkhere Mountain Training School.  At the end of the training, soldiers will …

  • Thousands protested in Tbilisi against negotiations between Georgia and Gazprom

    On Sunday, thousands of demonstrators formed a human chain six kilometers long from the Russian Embassy to the square in front of the government administration building in Tbilisi in order to protest negotiations between Georgia and Gazprom.

    The action was organized by the United National Movement opposition party of the ex-President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and its supporters. "The Georgian people will not allow the government to undermine the country's energy security," said one of …

  • Tbilisi says Azerbaijan has strengthened Georgia's position in negotiations with Gazprom

    The agreement on the additional supply of natural gas from Azerbaijan to Georgia has strengthened Georgia’s position in its negotiations with Gazprom.  One of the leaders of the Georgian parliamentary majority, Gia Volski, reported this to journalists on Saturday, as reported by Interfax.

    “Azerbaijan has found technical resources which will strengthen our position on the market,” Volski said.  This was in reference to an agreement signed the day before between the Georgian government and the …

  • US company finds 5 trillion cubic meter reserve of gas in Georgia

    American company Frontera Resources has found a 5 trillion cubic meter reserve of gas in Georgia, Georgian media reported. The media quoted the President of Frontera Resources, Steve Nicandros, who said that it can take up to 5 years for Georgia to begin exporting gas.

    Steve Nicandros stated that this gas will flow to Turkey and the countries of Eastern Europe. Last year, Frontera Resources, which has been working in Georgia since the mid-1990s, came to an agreement with Ukrainian Naftogaz, …

  • Georgian Defense Minister: Despite Russia’s statement, Georgia’s plan to join NATO is realistic

    The Defense Minister of Georgia, Tina Khidasheli, has stated that the Russian representative to the OSCE had publicly made a number of incorrect statements in his address. These statements were regarding Georgia's plan to join NATO, as reported by Ekho Kavkaz.

    In an interview on Saturday, Khidasheli said that the Russian official called Georgia’s plans to join NATO “unrealistic” and added that these plans will change after Georgia’s 2016 elections.

    “The Russian representative, as well as many …

  • European Commission postpones decision on visa-free regime for Ukraine

    The European Commission will submit a legislative initiative to abolish visas for Georgia.  This will be submitted to the Council of the EU next week.  Such an initiative for Ukraine, however, has been postponed.  This was reported via Twitter by a correspondent of Radio Liberty in Brussels, Ricard Yozvyak.

    “The proposal for the visa liberalization of Georgia will be made by the European Commission next week.  Ukraine will probably have to wait until after the referendum on the Association …

  • Georgian President to visit Baku in March

    Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili will visit Baku in March. According to the press service of the State Committee for Work with the Diaspora (GKRD) of Azerbaijan, the Georgian President will attend the fourth Global Baku Forum, organized by the Nizami Ganjavi International Center.

    The forum, entitled “Towards a Multipolar World”, will take place on March 10th and 11th.  Discussion in Baku will be center around the role of interreligious dialogue in conflict prevention, migration, …

  • Iran to supply Georgia with gas

    Georgia has high hopes for closer economic cooperation with Iran after international sanctions were lifted. Recently, Tbilisi abolished the visa regime with Iran, hoping to increase the flow of tourists from the south. Up until September 2014, tourists from Iran were bringing approximately 100 million dollars a year into Georgia.

    Soon Georgia will also import Iranian gas, and a preliminary agreement was reached during a visit to Tehran with the Georgian Energy Minister, Kakha Kaladze.

    Iran …