Press release, 11 January 2013
Maia Panjikidze, Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs during her official visit paid to Lithuania met Vydas Gedvilas, Speaker of the Seimas. Gediminas Kirkilas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas, Chairman of the Committee on European Affairs, Benediktas Juodka, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Mantas Adomėnas, Deputy Chairman of the Seimas Inter-parliamentary Group for Relations with Georgia also took part in the meeting.
Maia Panjikidze and Vydas Gedvilas. Photo by Olga Posaškova
“Bilateral relations as well as parliamentary relations between Lithuania and Georgia are characterised by intensity. We are determined to continue developing our parliamentary cooperation and we are ready to further share our experience in the field of democratic reforms during this term in office,” Speaker of the Seimas, Mr Gedvilas said when welcoming the participants of the meeting.
Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders was also discussed at the meeting. Speaker of the Seimas emphasised that Lithuania’s support remains unwavering as well as the position of the European Union concerning the commitments of Russia from 2008 and its determination to settle the conflict through the Geneva International Talks and the EU Monitoring Mission.
Speaker of the Seimas stressed that Lithuania is always prepared to support Georgia’s efforts to continue the democratic reforms in the country and to strive for an ambitious goal: the Euro-Atlantic integration.
“We welcome the democratic transfer of power after the recently held free and fair elections in Georgia. Future presidential elections will be another important test of democracy. We hope for further consolidation of democracy, stronger democratic institutions and continuation of the necessary reforms.”
This position was expressed by the Speaker of the Seimas in his interview with the Georgian television Channel 9. “As the Eastern Partnership is among the priorities of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, it will get due attention of the Lithuanian Parliament, too. We support the conclusion of the Georgia-EU Association Agreement and believe that the Vilnius Summit will be crowned with the success of Georgia,” Speaker of the Seimas said.
Secretariat of the Speaker of the Seimas
Erika Straigytė, Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel: +370 5 239 6004; +370 698 42376
