site.btaGeorgia Assumes PABSEC Chairmanship from Bulgaria

Georgia assumed the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) from Bulgaria during the organization’s 66th General Assembly, held in Sofia.

“We believe that dialogue and cooperation lead to stability. In this spirit, Georgia is taking over the PABSEC chairmanship, and we intend to contribute responsibly to the development of this assembly,” said the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, who received the symbol of the chairmanship from National Assembly  Deputy Chair Dragomir Stoynev.

Papuashvili assured that the efforts will be focused on connectivity. “We are ready to use the power of parliamentary democracy to build a region of opportunities,” he said. According to him, participation in today’s forum demonstrates a commitment to dialogue and the sustainable development of regional cooperation.

The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament said that recent years have been the most challenging for the Black Sea region - the war waged by Russia in Ukraine and its subsequent impact on the region have seriously affected the organization’s activities. But despite the difficulties, “we have managed to ensure the use of this format to promote dialogue and achieve important results for our communities.” In recent years, the strategic importance of the Black Sea region, as well as its significance for security, has increased significantly, Papuashvili said.

“Today, despite the many challenges, we will unite our efforts for cooperation in all areas to make our region more stable, secure, and prosperous, that is why peace is the most important condition,” said Shalva Papuashvili.

“A just and lasting peace in Ukraine is essential not only for the Ukrainian people but also for preserving the stability of Europe and the Black Sea region. We reaffirm our support for all efforts to achieve peace on the basis of international law and with respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” he added.

“We welcome the steps toward normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkiye,” Papuashvili said. He emphasized that connectivity - physical, digital, economic, and between people -will be one of the main pillars of their cooperation, and assured that they remain fully committed to developing infrastructure, policies, and partnerships.

Participants in the forum also viewed an exhibition of old maps of the Black Sea.