BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 12
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Marija Pejčinović Burić expressed confidence that Georgia will successfully cope with the chairmanship of the organization, Trend reports citing Georgian media outlets.
From November 27, Georgia will become the presiding country of the Council of Europe for the next six months until May 2020.
Marija Pejčinović Burić arrived in Tbilisi in preparation for the transfer of the chairman to Georgia. Georgia will take over the chairmanship from France, which in turn received it in May from Finland. Georgia will head the CoE Committee of Ministers for the first time.
“I am glad that Georgia, along with the protection of human rights and the rule of law, has also prioritized environmental protection in its chairmanship. It is noteworthy that this is the first time that the chairing country has prioritized the environment,” she said.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani stated that the six-month chairmanship is “a huge responsibility and opportunity for Georgia” to help overcome the challenges facing the Council of Europe and support the organization’s core values - strengthening human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
Discussion of the priorities of the Georgian presidency of the Council of Europe was the main topic of the meeting between Prime Minister Georgi Gakharia and Marija Pejčinović Burić.
The parties also discussed a plan for 2020-2023 that includes projects to be implemented by Georgia together with the Council of Europe. The important positive role of current action plans in the process of implementing democratic reforms in the country was noted. The parties also expressed confidence that the future program will have concrete, tangible results.
Georgia became a member of the Council of Europe on April 27, 1999.
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