Georgian, Ukrainian Legislature Speakers Hold Video Call

Georgia’s Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada Chair Ruslan Stefanchuk held a video conference today to discuss the Georgian parliamentary delegation’s visit to Ukraine.

The Georgian Parliament’s press service said the sides agreed that the visit will take place in the coming days.

The two Speakers also agreed on the importance of prior consultation and exchange of details “to prevent misunderstandings in the future about various information,” the Parliament stated.

The parliamentary chairpersons also discussed cooperation and exchange of experience during the process of EU accession, it added.

Following the videoconference, Speaker Papuashvili told reporters that he would try to “set up an inter-party group so that different [parliamentary] factions would be represented” in the visit to Ukraine.

The Rada Chair, on his part, said after the video call that he is glad that “small misunderstandings between Ukraine and Georgia are over.”

“This visit will give Georgian lawmakers to see for themselves what is happening in Ukraine and will confirm our friendly relations,” Speaker Stefanchuk wrote on Facebook.

“I am sincerely convinced that we will find all points of contact in order to continue to build our bright future together,” he added. “We have much more in common than what distinguishes us.”

Following the Georgian Parliament Speaker’s initial refusal of the trip to Ukraine, the Georgian opposition parties had agreed on a joint trip to the embattled country.

Vice-Speaker Levan Ioseliani of the opposition Citizens Party had said he would lead the opposition delegation, and that all the parties had agreed to the trip.

Later, Georgian Dream chair Irakli Kobakhidze said on April 11 that the ruling party was also ready to send some of its lawmakers to Ukraine, but would refrain from a high-level trip unless Ukraine agreed to three preconditions.

Speaker Papuashvili made a u-turn on his previous rejection today, and announced today that he would pay the visit to Ukraine.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)