The meeting of MPs with Marneuli Public School children on the occasion of Europe Day
The topic of the meeting initiated by the EU Integration Committee and supported by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in Marneuli Public School N8 was “Georgia and EU”.
The meeting held on the occasion of Europe Day was attended by the EU Integration Committee member, Giorgi Mosidze, Marneuli Single Mandate MPs, Tamaz Naveriani and Ruslan Gajiev, as well as the Director of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung South Caucasus Representation Office, Thomas Schrapel.
G. Mosidze spoke about foreign political course, EU aspiration and importance of membership of Georgia of European family. He emphasized EU member states and European Parliament activity and touched upon visa free travel to EU, importance of education and educated youth and their role in state development. “We shall show our new generation the prospects deriving from EU integration. Georgia transits to the new stage of relations with EU. We already have the visa liberalization and expect further approximation to EU. We shall provide our youth with the information about Europe, its values and perspectives it offers”.
Children asked about the benefits of EU and NATO integration, changes of youth granted under EU integration etc. MPs provided the information about the competition held in Parliament on the occasion of Europe Day, allowing exposing their works on “Europe with my eyes”.
The competition will be held on May 8 and the authors of the best works will be awarded. Tomorrow, the Committee will hold the meeting in Akhalkalaki.
The Chair of the EU Integration Committee echoing the initiative of the Prime Minister to set up the Media-Ombudsman Office
The EU Integration Committee supported the drafts on penitential system reforming with the I reading
The Deputy-Corrections Minister, Zviad Mikhanashvili introduced the draft on Imprisonment and spoke about the novelties: set up of the Agency for Preparation for Release to prepare the low and average risk convicts for release, the conviction term of which does not exceed 6 months. “They will be allowed leaving the department for 3 days per week to ensure smooth reintegration thereof into the society”.
The changes entitle the Local Council of the Ministry, in case of written appeal of the convict, to substitute the rest of the detention term with the house arrest. The low risk and semi-open department convicts shall be allowed without permit acquiring TV or radio, and the high risk and close departments shall enjoy the similar rights on the basis of the permit by the Director.
The Court solely shall be authorized to release the convict due to illness. The convicts in the Agency of Preparation for Release or low risk convicts shall be allowed obtaining the first level of higher education. The term of hereof detention shall be reduced to 60 days. The disciplinary detention shall not be applied to women being pregnant or having a child under 3, as well as to the convicts over 65. If the convict partially served his/her term, the administration shall file the mediation to the Council. The draft estimates the threat risk of convicts. MPs gave the positive estimation to the draft and supported the documents.
“Resocialization-reintegration oriented penitential system meets the requirements in terms of human rights and EU integration. It is a good initiative to facilitate to establishment of reintegration-oriented approaches in the penitential system”, - the First Deputy Chair, Irine Pruidze stated.
The Deputy-Finance Minister, Giorgi Kakauridze introduced the Loan Agreement between Georgia and EBRD on Sadakhlo-Bagratasheni Bridge Project, envisaging allocation of 6 ml EURO for construction of the bridge at Sadakhlo-Bagratasheni check point on Georgia-Armenia border. The loan term constitutes 15 years 3 of which are preferential. Interest rate varies according to EURIBOR.
“The Loan Agreement between Georgia and EBRD on construction of part of bridge on Armenian territory has already been signed, within which EBRD has allocated 10 ml GEL”, - G. Kakauridze stated.
The meeting of the Chair of the EU Integration Committee with the Head of EUMM
The Chair of the EU Integration Committee, Ms. Tamar Khulordava held the meeting with the Head of EUMM, Ambassador Kęstutis Jankauskas and the Head of Informational Analytical Department Accounts Department, Mr. Kaupo Känd.
Ms. Khulordava hailed the decision made by the European Council on extension of the Mission for 2 years. She hoped that the EUMM will implement the mandate not only on the territory controlled by the Georgian Government but beyond the administrative borders as well.
The parties discussed plebiscite on closing the check-points at Abkhazia administrative border and emphasized necessity of reconciliation and confidence-building.
The EUMM representatives congratulated Georgia with successful visa liberalization decision and emphasized the new opportunities envisaging EU integration of Georgia. The parties underlined that the citizens residing on the occupied territories shall as well enjoy the benefits. Ms. Khulordava spoke about the legislative activity of the Committee and the priorities of the reforming envisaged under the EUAA.
The meeting of Tamar Khulordava and Beka Natsvlishvili with the TSU Rector and Students
The Chair of the EU Integration Committee, Ms. Tamar Khulordava and the Deputy, Mr. Beka Natsvlishvili held the meeting with the Rector of Tbilisi State University, Mr. Giorgi Sharvashidze and the students.
The parties at the 2-hour meeting, discussed foreign political course, EU aspiration, respective challenges, EUAA and DCFTA implementation, as well as visa free regime with Schengen states and institutional and legislative harmonization with EU.
The TSU Rector opened the meeting. “Soon, we will celebrate the 99th anniversary of the University. 99 years ago, when TSU was established, the then Patriarch, Kirion II stated: we establish the High European School to be based on European traditions but resolutely stand on Georgian land. It was the most modern estimation of the University. TSU is the place for consideration of many issues, including our aspiration to EU, our future in Europe”.
MPs spoke about European perspective, Georgia-EU challenges, EUAA obligations, efforts of Georgian Government to implement these obligations and the role of the Parliament in EU integration. According to T. Khulordava, Georgia, since independence, aspires to Euopre, as to its natural place. “We are the part of Europe. Our EU integration is related to our aspiration to regain the place and access to the union called the modern civilized world… it is our aspiration, it is our aim and the guideline of our policy”.
She emphasized economic integration with EU and touched upon ongoing political processes in EU member states and their possible impact on further enlargement of EU.
Mr. Natsvlishvili spoke about European values as the basis for European identity. “Europe first of all, is the system of values. It is the states caring about welfare of their citizens. Our aim is to not merely access to EU but to acknowledge values so to live in European manner. EU integration of Georgia is the lifestyle practiced by Europe. Obligations outlined by Europe shall be implemented by us to further approximate to EU in value terms”.
The students asked about challenges and threats of EU membership, as well as the benefits of EU integration. The parties also spoke about visa liberalization risks and benefits. MPs thanked the TSU Rector and students for invitation and agreed on future meetings. “We made the decision to establish the Expert Club in TSU for constant contact with the Parliament. We will hold meetings and will try to inter-relate the academic and legislative spaces through University”, - G. Sharvashidze stated.
The EU Integration Committee held the meeting on “Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy in Georgia”
EU Integration Committee organized the EU and UNDP supported working meeting in Borjomi on Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy in Georgia.
The meeting is participated by the Committee Members and Committee Staff, as well as the representatives of the Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, the Legal Issues, the Health Care and Social Issues, the Human Rights and Civil Integration and the Foreign Relations Committees, as well as the experts, Ivane Chkhikvadze and Adam Lazovski.
The participants are to consider Georgia-EU cooperation framework and strategic directions, as well as the role of the Parliament in EUAA implementation. The participants will hear about the experience of EU member and candidate states, the findings by the experts and the recommendations. As well as, the participants will develop the joint action plan.
The Foreign Relations and the EU Integration Committees considered the documents for ratification
At the joint sitting, the Deputy-Finance Minister, Giorgi Kakauridze introduced the documents for ratification: Frame Loan Agreement between Georgia and CEB and the Rehabilitation and Energy Efficiency Project of Tbilisi Public Schools.
School rehabilitation project value is approximately 22 ml. EURO, where CEB allocates 14 ml EURO as loan and 6 ml EURO as grant from ESP. ESP is the co-financing instrument for energy efficiency projects accompanying the loans of the international fiscal institutions. Co-participation of Georgia constitutes 2 ml EURO.
The agreement between Georgia and CEB was signed on October 18, 2016 and aims at reconstruction-reinforcement of Tbilisi public schools and energy efficiency therein. The main task is to improve safety, academic environ and energy efficiency in schools. Loan duration is 20 years, where 5 years are preferential. The project is implemented by the LEPL Educational and Scientific Infrastructure Development Agency.
As the First Deputy-Education Minister, Ketevan Natriashvili stated, the project covers 25 schools in Tbilisi to be selected with participation of CoE experts.
The second loan agreement between Georgia and EBRD concerns solid waste management project. As G. Kakauridze stated, the project aims at improvement of solid waste management in Georgia envisaging purchase of the solid waste collecting vehicles and containers. EBRD allocates 10 ml EURO as loan and 2 ml EURO as grant. The project consists of 2 parts and envisages acquisition of necessary equipment as technical maintenance in view of public awareness on solid waste sanitary processing. The loan duration is 10 years where 3 years are preferential. The project envisages purchase of 144 vehicles and 7209 containers. The project will be accomplished in 3 months and covers all the municipalities.
The EU Integration Committee considered the Convention between Georgian Government and Liechtenstein Government on Prevention of Double Taxation on Income and Capital and Elimination of Non-Payment, introduced by the Deputy-Finance Minister, Lasha Khutsishvili. The Convention aims at attraction of investments and enlargement of economic links with the countries of economic interest. The primary objective is to facilitate goods and service exchange and capital and human traffic, as well as elimination of evasion from tax payment. The Committee supported the documents.
The first sitting of the EU Integration Committee
The Chair of the Committee elected Irina Pruidze as the First Deputy and Beka Natsvlishvili from majority and Giorgi Kandelaki from minority as the Deputies. The Committee also developed the Regulation.
The first sitting was chaired by the Chair, Tamar Khulordava. “It is the greatest responsibility for me to chair the Committee and to work with you. I hope our cooperation will be productive. I would like us to be active because EU integration is the directions which is most important not only deriving from the foreign policy but in terms of domestic political processes and reforms. We have much to do to contribute our mite in and facilitate to effective implementation of EUAA in Georgia. In terms of implementation of legislative initiatives or Parliamentary oversight, we shall be extremely active. One more important direction is relations with EU structures and we are aspired to maximal approximation therewith. I hope for your support during all these processes”. The Committee is composed of: Irina Pruidze, Beka Natsvlishvili, Sofio Katsarava, Giorgi Mosidze, Irakli Abuseridze, Tsotne Zurabiani, Guram Macharashvili, Merab Kvaria, Gia Gachechiladze, Giorgi Kandelaki, Tinatin Bokuchava, Salome Samadashvili, Giorgi Lomia.
