site.btaNational Assembly Chair Zhelyazkov Meets with Georgian PM Garibashvil

National Assembly Chairman Rosen Zhelyazkov met with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday.

A Bulgarian parliamentary delegation led by Zhelyazkov arrived on an official visit to Tbilisi on Thursday at the invitation of Georgian Parliament Chairman Shalva Papuashvili.

The inter-parliamentary cooperation is a matter of political exchange of ideas on bilateral relations, but the prime minister and I also talked about concrete projects, Zhelyazkov told Bulgarian media.

In his words, Georgia is the initiator of the construction of a transmission line for the transmission of green energy from Azerbaijan. Along with the topic of the Southern Gas Corridor and the transmission from Shah Deniz II, the topic of green energy transmission is an extremely interesting project that unites the efforts of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania and Hungary, Zhelyazkov explained. The Chairman of the National Assembly said that "we have made our request to participate in this project and Georgia as the initiator has stated today that it will fully support us."

Among the topics of the talks were the development of connectivity as well as a direct air link. Zhelyazkov said that such an airline existed, but due to problems related to the pandemic and recovery issues, it is currently not functioning. However, there is a possibility for Tbilisi to be a hub connecting Europe and Asia and hosting flights both from Bulgaria to the Far East and between Bulgaria and the Caucasus region.

Bulgaria's position is clear: we do not accept the so-called self-determination in occupied territories and violation of Georgia's territorial integrity and therefore we do not need to state it in any other way because our position is clear and it is expressed in all formats, Zhelyazkov said in response to a question whether a declaration is being prepared. We have no hesitation in this thing, nor do we have a different assessment, he added.

Zhelyazkov expressed support for Georgia's path as part of the European Union.

Earlier in the day, the parliamentary delegation led by Zhelyazkov held a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Papuashvili. "To have good neighbours is good luck, to have good partners is diligence, to have good friends is the luck we strive for. We stand by Georgia on its path towards European values and full membership! For the good of our peoples!", Zhelyazkov wrote in the memorial book of the Georgian Parliament.