On 3-5 April, Pawel Herczynski, Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia, visited the Imereti region for the first time. During the three-day trip, the Ambassador visited projects supported by the EU Delegation to Georgia and implemented by local action groups in Kutaisi and Tskaltubo.

In Kutaisi, the ambassador visited the Colchis Fountain, which has been rehabilitated with EU funds. The project is part of the joint regional development programme between the European Union and the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia. The objective of the programme is to reduce regional disparities, improve people’s living conditions and develop the economy in the regions of Georgia. In total, over GEL 65 million have been transferred to Imereti in 2021-2022 to develop 71 projects in various municipalities.

The Ambassador then visited the first green waste composting centre in Kutaisi, established with the financial assistance of the EU. The centre is the first facility in Western Georgia that composts biodegradable waste and contributes to the improvement of the environment in the municipality.

Ambassador Herczynski also met with personnel of the employment centre, as well as local young people who have developed new skills and found employment thanks to EU support channelled through the Education Development and Employment Centre (EDEC).

In Imereti, Ambassador Herczynski also visited Akaki Tsereteli Kutaisi State University, where he met students and answered their questions about EU-Georgia relations. The Ambassador also travelled to Tskaltubo to meet with the members of the Local Action Group and local businesses, supported by the EU.

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The Speaker, H.E. Shalva Papuashvili held a meeting with the EU Ambassador and the Ambassadors of the EU Member States for deliberation on the Draft on Transparency of Foreign Influence, and the Act on Registration of Foreign Agents.

As the Speaker noted, at the meeting the concerns have been discussed that are expressed concerning the hereof Drafts.

“We have already discussed it and I understand that the concerns may exist, especially since these discussions are themselves stigmatized. The fact is that we have initiated an exact copy of the American Act and even the Law was titled not American but Russian. The discussion is becoming absurd and we understand that some forces try to stigmatize the discussion. Despite the immense wave of stigmatization, we have held long conversations about the importance of transparency, similar to our yesterday’s meeting with NGOs; we have achieved an understanding that transparency concerning the actors engaged in the formation and adoption of the political decisions is a request of our citizens and the Parliament is assigned to ensure the realization of this request. We discussed these needs, declaring that we intend to submit these Drafts to Venice Commission for its opinions; meanwhile, we have time plenty to hold other discussions”, - the Speaker stated and hoped that the civil society will actively cooperate with the Parliament instead of imposing stigmas and taboos, to eliminate the legal gaps related to insufficient transparency.

“I do hope that the civil society, instead of imposing taboo on the discussion concerning transparency, will demonstrate that they feel confident and powerful in this issue and that they are right and like they speak behind the closed doors, they consider that transparency is important and the degree of transparency we have today is not sufficient, and I hope they will get actively engaged in these issues and cooperate with the Parliament to ensure transparency and eliminate the gap in our system. All actors participating in the formation of the political decisions, state institutions, parties and public officials are transparent in their finances and the only actor – the non-governmental sector – is opaque in this regard, more precisely, such organizations manifest various types of transparency and this gap shall be eliminated”, - he added.

Administration of the Parliament

The Chair of the Legal Issues Committee parliament of Georgia Anri Okhanashvili held a meeting with the EU Ambassador Pawel Herczynski.

As A. Okhanashvili noted after the meeting, he informed the Ambassador about the compliance with the EU recommendations and the plans of the Committee.
“We enjoy close collaboration and communication with the EU Ambassador and his visit to the Parliament underlines his commitment to further keeping close cooperation with us. It is truly a positive decision of the Ambassador to meet the Chairs of all Committees”, - he noted.

The European Union is standing by Georgia, in support of building a strong, prosperous and democratic country, during times of COVID and other crises, and with unwavering support for Georgia’s independence and territorial integrity, EU Ambassador Carl Hartzell said in a statement to mark Europe Day on 9 May, in a year that has seen Georgia apply for membership of the European Union.

He said Europe Day was a celebration of a new vision for Europe, presented 72 years ago in the Schuman Declaration, “at a time when Europe was still rising from the ashes of a devastating war, determined to make sure there would be no more wars in Europe”.

“While we remain faithful to that vision, unfortunately, others blatantly and tragically demonstrate that they still see things differently. But as Russia is waging its unjustified war in Europe, we are standing up in strong solidarity with Ukraine, based on the values and principles that unite us and on which our Union was built.”

“Here in Georgia, our close partnership is based on these same values,” the Ambassador said. “A partnership that is set to grow further as Georgia took the historic step to apply for EU membership, in line with the aspirations of an overwhelming majority of its population and in coping with its civilisational roots.”

Activities to mark Europe Day in Georgia this year are centred around a new film called Europe and me, directed by Giorgi Kvelidze. It highlights the shared values between the EU and Georgia and shows several human stories from Georgia’s region.

The online premiere of the documentary film that has been produced for 2022 Europe Day will be held tonight, 9 May at 21:00 on the Delegation Facebook page.

Source: EU NEIGHBOURS east 

The celebration of Nefco’s first implemented energy-efficiency project in Georgia coincides with the signing of a new EUR 6.5 million project which will support energy-efficiency modernisations in public schools in remote mountainous regions in the country.

Nefco has officially inaugurated its first implemented project in Georgia, which encompasses the renovation of 26 public buildings across the country. The energy-efficiency modernisations carried out from autumn 2018 until the end of 2021 have resulted in improved indoor conditions and energy savings, and supported Georgia towards its green transition by using renewable and alternative energy sources. The project has also contributed to the implementation of Georgia’s national goals to combat climate change and demonstrated the applicability of new building codes in various types of buildings with different functions and usage and how these new codes work in different climate zones.

In addition to Nefco loan financing of EUR 2.8 million, the project was grant financed by the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) with EUR 1.87 million, to which the European Union and Sweden are the largest contributors. Denmark supported the project with EUR 956,000 for technical assistance during both the implementation and project preparation phases.

Together with its project partners, including the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, E5P and its contributors, and the LEPL Municipal Development Fund of Georgia, Nefco inaugurated the project on 4 May 2022 and visited two of the modernised schools, Public School No. 55 and LEPL First Experimental Public School in Tbilisi, to present the implemented energy-efficiency measures.

“We are very pleased to celebrate our first implemented project in Georgia. Together with our project partners, it has been a privilege to see the country’s progress in implementing its energy reforms and moving towards a green energy transition. We are happy to continue supporting Georgia through the new project, which was signed today and will benefit, in particular, the more vulnerable communities,” commented Trond Moe, Managing Director at Nefco, in Tbilisi today.

Both the implemented project and the newly signed project ‘Rehabilitation and Energy Efficiency Improvements in Public Schools in Mountainous Regions in Georgia’ are characterised by their significant environmental and social impacts in Georgia. The implemented energy-efficiency project is expected to result in annual reductions of about 5,000 MWh in heat and electricity consumption, with a decrease of 1,100 tonnes of CO2 emissions. The actual savings will be monitored on a continuous basis for a ten-year period. The implemented project has created good and comfortable learning environments for schoolchildren and municipal workers. The second Nefco project in Georgia will support energy-efficiency modernisations and renovations in 15 public schoolsin mountainous regions in Georgia.

“First of all, I would like to say that we appreciate Nefco’s and E5P’s role in helping Georgia overcome the challenges we are facing and for ensuring that they are responsive to our priority needs. The project ‘Rehabilitation and Energy-efficiency Improvement in Public Schools in Mountainous Regions in Georgia’ is supporting Georgia’s transition to a green economy and helping to build more resilient and efficient infrastructure, while improving the learning environment for students in less-developed parts of our country and benefiting vulnerable social groups of the population. I believe that the project will have significant environmental and social impacts and bring many benefits, such as meeting the minimum requirements for appropriate infrastructure for teaching and improved comfort levels and safety for students and teachers. I am confident that this will be a catalyst for greater energy efficiency in the future,” said Lasha Khutsishvili, Minister of Finance of Georgia.

Nefco’s second project in Georgia will build on the lessons learned from the first completed project and be expanded into more challenging settings in less-developed parts of the country, benefiting vulnerable social groups of the population. Alongside the positive environmental impacts and energy-efficiency improvements, the new project will support the development of other UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially education, health and gender equality. Both Nefco projects are aligned with the new laws on energy efficiency and energy performance of buildings introduced by Georgia and are part of the wider reform agenda associated with the EU Georgia Association Agreement.

“The E5P donors are proud of this first Nefco project and its continuation in remote mountainous regions of Georgia. The E5P donors, led by the European Union, remain committed to such crucial investments, delivering a multitude of environmental and social benefits alongside the reform agenda,” commented Ewa Manik, Associate Director at E5P.

“The EU, the biggest contributor to the E5P Fund, is pleased to support energy-efficiency renovations of schools in Georgia. The E5P projects implemented by Nefco bring the economic, environmental and health benefits of energy-efficiency measures to municipalities across the country. We are looking forward to boosting renovations of buildings in Georgia with large-scale investment programmes underpinned by reform assistance together with our Team Europe partners,” said Carl Hartzell, EU Ambassador to Georgia.

The total investment of the new project, signed today in Tbilisi, is EUR 6.5 million. Nefco’s loan financing totals EUR 3.9 million and E5P grant financing EUR 2.6 million. Sweden has financed the project development costs and is expected to allocate financing for technical assistance during the project implementation, which is due to start at the end of 2022.

“Sweden is pleased to contribute to Georgia’s green transition, including improved energy efficiency. We have invested over EUR 8 million in the E5P fund for Georgia, as the largest bilateral donor. Similarly, we are one of the main stakeholders in Nefco, the Nordic Green Bank, together with the other Nordic countries. Together, we provide co-financing grants for municipal sector projects across Georgia to improve energy efficiency and boost progress on a multitude of other environmental and social issues. The Swedish assistance should be seen in the wider context of our strong political, financial and technical support to Georgia’s reforms for European integration,” said Ulrik Tideström, Ambassador of Sweden to Georgia.

Energy-efficiency measures in the new project will include insulation of building envelopes, replacement of doors and windows, installation of new heating and ventilation systems as well as measures for reducing electricity consumption. Structural improvements are also included in the projects due to the poor conditions of the school buildings. The implemented renovations and installed energy-efficiency measures will extend the lifetime of the buildings.

Since 2010, Nefco has financed over 170 similar energy-efficiency modernisation projects in public buildings in Ukraine, and it is currently implementing its initial projects in Moldova, the first of which was completed in autumn 2021. Together with E5P, Nefco has completed 36 energy-efficiency projects in Eastern Europe.

About Nefco

Nefco, the Nordic Green Bank, is an international financial institution (IFI) that provides risk capital for Nordic green solutions. Established in 1990 by the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, Nefco serves the interest of its owners. Our task is to work with concrete actions to accelerate the green transition. By focusing on small and medium-sized projects with tangible results, we have been able to demonstrate how to implement climate and environmental projects in a sustainable and cost-efficient way. We evaluate our impact against the EU Taxonomy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and our own environmental criteria. Over the years, Nefco has implemented some 1,500 private and public projects across different sectors all over the world. Nefco’s headquarters is located in Helsinki, Finland. Read more at www.nefco.int

About E5P

The Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) is a multi-donor and multi-International Financial Institution (IFI) support fund created thanks to an initiative of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union in 2009. The E5P fund for Georgia totals EUR 40.56 million, representing pledges made by the European Union as the largest contributor to the fund (EUR 20.4 million), and Sweden (EUR 8 million), Germany (EUR 4 million), Norway (EUR 3 million), Denmark (EUR 0.5 million), Finland (EUR 0.4 million), Lithuania (EUR 0.35 million), USA (EUR 0.3 million), Estonia (EUR 0.15 million), Poland (EUR 0.13 million), Czech Republic (EUR 0.1 million), Slovak Republic (EUR 0.1 million) and TaiwanBusiness EBRD TC Fund (EUR 0.13 million). Georgia is also a contributor with EUR 3 million. The fund provides grant co-financing for municipal sector projects to improve energy efficiency and boost a multitude of other environmental and social impacts, especially in the wider context of the reform agenda associated with the EU Georgia Association Agreement. Read more at www.e5p.eu/georgia

• Natia Abramia- Manager of Quality Control and Risk Management for the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC. She has 20 years of experience working in Georgian and international media. At various times, since 2006, she has been the Editor of the BBC World News Radio, TV, Online and Social Platforms. After the announcement of the Brexit referendum in 2016, Natia Abramia was the producer of the BBC’s main political show – “Newsnight”. Currently, her job is to optimize the operations and resources of BBC and to increase management efficiency.
• Nana Sajaia- is an award-winning journalist and producer with a focus on the Post-Soviet region. A native of Georgia, currently she is a producer at the Fox News politics unit in the D.C Bureau. Nana has previously worked as an International Broadcaster at the Voice of America Georgian Service, where she covered Georgia and Eurasia-related topics for different media platforms in Georgian and English languages. She has extensively reported on major regional political developments, elections in Georgia and Ukraine, Russia’s occupation of Georgian territories, U.S.-Georgia relations, Eastern European partnership, NATO enlargement, and Kremlin disinformation in the Caucasus and Eurasia. Nana received a BA in English language from Tbilisi State University, and an MA in journalism and media management from Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA). In 2007 she was selected as a Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellow and did her Master’s studies in Journalism and Mass Communication at North Dakota State University. Nana has been practicing journalism for more than ten years now, served as an editor of local publications such as Georgia Today and weekly political magazine Liberali, and has worked for international media outlets in the region such as BBC World Service, France 24, and TOL. Before joining Fox News, Nana was a researcher at PEN American Center – a worldwide association of writers, defending freedom of expression and supporting persecuted writers.
• Lia Chakhunashvili- Over the past 20 years, Lia Chakhunashvili has managed several major media development programs in Georgia, when working at IREX and at BBC World Service Trust. She studied journalism at Tbilisi State University and earned a graduate degree in mass communications at San Jose State University. In 2007-2009, Lia Chakhunashvili was Dean at Caucasus School of Media, Caucasus University, and in 2010-2011 she was a member of the Public Broadcaster Board of Trustees.
• Guram Tsibakhashvili - A photographer. Has been delivering lectures in photography since 1991.  Has participated in up to 60 exhibitions, including up to 20 personal ones. Has published articles on photography and contemporary art. Photo Editor of the Magazine “Amarta” since 1999 - 2007. Co-founder of "Tbilisi Photography House" since 2007. Invited Lecturer on the History of Photography at two Georgian universities (Tbilisi State University, Caucasus University).

The Kvareli EuroClub in Georgia marks its two-year anniversary today, with a special event attended by EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell, as well as the Ambassadors of the Netherlands, Austria, France, Turkey and Norway, and the Attaché of the Spanish Embassy in Georgia.

The Kvareli EuroClub was founded by Young European Ambassador Nika Gurini in November 2019, with the support of the EU NEIGHBOURS east regional communication programme. In the two years since then, more than 1,200 young people have benefited from the different projects and activities organised by the EuroClub.

The main mission of the EuroClub is to promote education and development among the general population and young people in particular, to raise civic awareness and to provide access to non-formal education and to spread European values. 

As part of the activities organised by the EuroClub, local people have been able to take advantage of free English language courses, vocational training courses, and open libraries, among others. 

In the long term, the EuroClub aims to expand and further develop its activities, reaching more people across the region and other parts of Georgia. 

To take part and find out more about ongoing and upcoming activities, check out the document below or visit the Kvareli EuroClub Facebook page.

On 31 October, the Conference of Judges of Georgia elected two new judge members of the High Council of Justice. These appointments took place on the day after local elections and only four days after the publication of the Conference’s agenda. The appointees’ predecessors, two women, had unexpectedly resigned from their mandates whose terms had not expired. No announcement of candidates was made in advance of the appointments.

The appointments were hasty, non-transparent and non-competitive. They were therefore at odds with Georgia’s commitments aimed at increasing the independence, accountability, quality and trust in the Judiciary, in line with the EU-Georgia Association Agreement.

This is a fifth setback in the area of the judiciary and rule of law in Georgia, within only four months. It follows the further appointments to the Supreme Court on 12 July which lacked “integrity, objectivity  and credibility” according to the OSCE/ODIHR, the failure to fulfil the necessary judicial conditions to receive an extra 75 million EUR in EU macro-financial assistance by September 2021, the non-adoption on 7 September of the constitutional amendments on the Prosecutor General’s appointment and the lack - so far - of credible investigation and prosecution of the organisers of the 5 July violence targeting over 50 journalists and activists.

These developments demonstrate yet again the urgent need to launch an ambitious judicial reform through a broad, inclusive and cross-party reform process, to which the Georgian political parties committed.

The European Union calls once more on the Georgian authorities to uphold their reform commitments, including in the justice sector, in the interest of Georgian citizens and of the future of EU-Georgia relations.

The European Union reiterates that, while it remains fully committed to support Georgia’s reforms in line with the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, the EU’s assistance to Georgia remains conditional on progress on key reforms.

In the midst of everything else that is going on these days, I would like to remind you that today is Car Free Day – an annual event organised in numerous cities all around Europe!
The idea of this day is to take a moment and reflect on the future of our cities and towns, and how to make them greener, calmer and more healthy places to live in.
In Georgia, 70% of air pollution is caused by cars and trucks. Here in Tbilisi, the number is even higher, making up for some 90% of total pollution.
Air pollution has a negative impact on health, increasing the risk of respiratory infections, fatigue, and heart and lung diseases.
To clean up the air is a key objective of the European Union, both within the EU itself and here in Georgia. We have been working in Georgia for many years to this end and our ambition remains high, including plans to invest in further equipment to better control air pollution.
We will also continue to invest in more sustainable transport alternatives, all with a view to allow all of us to breathe cleaner air and lead healthier lives.
I hope you will join us!
And with that let me wish you all a carefree Car Free Day.
 
See video at: https://bit.ly/2XD20pg

Georgia has launched talks with the European Union for financial assistance for the next seven years. The talks organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia will continue from 9 to 11 February.
 
The first meeting was held on 9 February between the First Deputy Foreign Minister Vakhtang Makharoblishvili and the EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell.
 
The consultations will focus on the priorities of the EU financial assistance (during the period from 2021 to 2027), which will help Georgia implement EU-funded projects and programmes in the future.
 
Thematic sessions will focus on the following areas: development of trade and economy (DCFTA), business promotion, agriculture, industry, services, SME support, consumer protection and women’s involvement in business, communications (transport, energy and digitalization), green economy and road safety, improvement of education quality and access to international education, digital infrastructure and digital economy, rule of law and sustainable institutions , environment and climate, public engagement and democracy.
 
The EU allocates considerable financial assistance in support of the reforms ongoing in Georgia.
Talks on financial assistance between Georgia and the EU will end tomorrow.

In 2014-2020 financial assistance of the EU for Georgia amounted to €750 million.

The Administration of the MFA Georgia