"Eastern Partnership" Summit ended today in Prague. The President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili attended the Summit. New EU initiative - Eastern Partnership program was signed during the summit. The declaration was adopted in which the status of Georgia was defined as an European country. Mikheil Saakashvili held bilateral meetings as well. Except Czechs and European Commission Presidents he also met the business representatives. President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barosso stated that "Eastern Partnership" is a tool for EU to get closer with neighboring countries.
"This program will help those 6 countries to fulfill those reforms, which are necessary to satisfy required standards", stated Baroso.
President of Georgia stated that this initiative is EU's respond on August aggression.
Within the frames of Georgia-EU inclusive agreement envisages simplifying the procedure of visa regime with the countries of EU. The same agreement envisages free trade, energy security and the development of democratic institutes. By the Georgian side's request the issue of conflict regulation was also put into the declaration.
"It is really a historic day for Georgia today, because in reality the initiative of "Eastern Partnership" is Europe's respond to the aggression in August. At EU Summit today Georgia's regional representation first set at the table vis--vis the European Union leadership. We are becoming an institutional part of EU space. This means that we will have a chance of free trade with EU in the nearest future, this means to export two or three times more production to Europe than we have today. This is the precondition of creating new jobs, besides except the money we get we will have hundreds of millions more assistance. I hope that the visa regime will be simplified this year and we will be able to easily cross the European border. Georgians will have no barriers to enter Europe and travel there. This is a step forward for us.
In the conditions when there should be stability in Georgia and the development must continue we are becoming part of a new space. We have left CIS and now we are entering the space where there is much bigger market, more wealth and perspectives. This is a common European space. I personally consider that in spite of great tragedy that we underwent - part of our territories is still occupied - this is Europe's dignified respond, though a bit late at this stage", stated the President of Georgia.
Press Office
of the President of Georgia