Expanded-Format Meeting Held Between the Presidents of Georgia and Croatia

An expanded-format meeting was held between the President of Georgia and the President of the Republic of Croatia.

The discussions focused on the further deepening of bilateral relations, with particular attention devoted to prospects for cooperation in the political, economic, technological, and cultural-educational spheres.

Special emphasis was placed on the importance of advancing economic ties, which is expected to contribute to increased tourist flows between the two countries, as well as to enhanced connectivity, strengthened economic cooperation and closer people-to-people contacts.

As noted during the meeting, the vector chosen by the Government of Georgia centered on peace, stability, and economic prosperity remains unwavering. This is evidenced by Georgia's longstanding peace-oriented policy in the South Caucasus, which seeks to achieve lasting and sustainable peace in the region and to deepen mutual trust and cooperation among neighboring states.

It was further underscored that the new geopolitical reality has significantly enhanced the strategic importance of the Middle Corridor. Georgia, for its part, is undertaking all necessary efforts to promote its development, ensure its security and facilitate its efficient functioning.

The meeting also highlighted the importance of deepening sectoral cooperation, which includes, among other areas, partnerships between higher education institutions and research centers, as well as the mutual exchange of expertise in innovative technologies, artificial intelligence development and youth policy.

The delegation accompanying the Croatian President included the Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Bartol Šimunić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Defense, Neven Pelicarić, Special Advisor for Economics to the President, Velibor Mačkić, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Croatia to Georgia, Branko Zebič, as well as representatives of the Presidential Administration.

On the Georgian side, the meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs George Zurabashvili, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia and Head of the Georgia-Croatia Parliamentary Friendship Group, Levan Makhashvili, Georgia's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Croatia, Zaal Gogsadze, as well as representatives of the Presidential Administration.