Parliament Speaker: We are working consistently to strengthen parliamentary cooperation in the Black Sea region

“As a founding member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), Georgia attaches great importance to this assembly as a unique platform. It brings together our nations’ legislatures, fostering dialogue, mutual understanding, and practical cooperation to promote shared peace and prosperity. Holding the PABSEC Presidency, we are working consistently to strengthen parliamentary cooperation in the Black Sea region,” the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili, stated during his address at the 67th PABSEC Plenary Session.

Papuashvili noted that PABSEC has always been a vital regional pillar for inter-parliamentary cooperation, and its role today is more relevant than ever.

“The Black Sea region stands at a critical juncture. Ongoing geopolitical developments, growing economic uncertainty, and emerging technological transformations are reshaping our region and the wider international order.
As global organisations fail to deliver on peace, cooperation, and stability, regional forums such as PABSEC acquire a unique opportunity to unite us in defending our common pragmatic interests, which our parliaments express on behalf of our people. Parliamentary assemblies are particularly sensitive to the political preferences of their citizens and electorate, and are thus more attuned to the priorities set out by the population.

We value each other’s peace and security more than outsiders do, especially in times of considerable geopolitical turbulence caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine over four years ago. This conflict has directly affected the wider Black Sea region, making it one of the hotbeds of world politics.

Even in these difficult times, geopolitics should serve our people’s economic interests, not the other way around. Therefore, PABSEC should keep a sharp focus on facilitating economic exchange, trade, connectivity, and, in other words, on people’s welfare. The wise founders of BSEC and ultimately PABSEC made the economy the cornerstone of our organisation’s mission, as is evident from the organisation’s title.

International forces that instrumentalise international organisations for their narrow political interests put geopolitics before people, thus causing damage to peace, security, and stability. This is precisely what causes economic stagnation—ignoring people’s needs for the sake of geopolitical games. Such games also widen the gap between the elites and the people, ultimately leading to a loss of popular support for adventurous leaders and their governments, whilst feeding radicalisation as a primary basis for political polarisation,” Shalva Papuashvili has said.

He further stated that our region today holds tremendous potential to enhance its role as a pivotal hub for trade, transport, energy, and digital connectivity.

“We should view the current period not only through the lens of challenges, but also as an opportunity for fostering closeness. The development of the Middle Corridor has acquired particular significance. By enhancing transport infrastructure, improving logistics networks, facilitating trade, and promoting multimodal connectivity, we can transform our region into an attractive and reliable link between regions and continents.

A more stable neighbourhood is in the interest of every country represented in this assembly. Encouragingly, the ongoing peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as efforts aimed at advancing rapprochement between Türkiye and Armenia, offer hope for greater stability and cooperation in our vital region. Earlier this month, operations commenced on the modernised Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, a strategic joint project connecting Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. It is a clear example of how practical cooperation can generate shared benefits and advance our common vision of a more connected and prosperous region.

We also see great potential in fostering interregional cooperation. In my capacity as President of PABSEC, I had the privilege of participating in the first summit of speakers and presidents of parliaments of members and partners of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. I firmly believe that by building bridges between regional parliamentary assemblies, we can further strengthen cooperation and deliver meaningful results for our peoples,” the Georgian Parliament Speaker has added.

According to the Speaker, artificial intelligence opens up new avenues for boosting regional connectivity in the Black Sea region.

“The theme of our general debate is on artificial intelligence and regional cooperation. For the Black Sea region, AI offers new possibilities to strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate trade and logistics, enhance border management, support smart transport systems, improve disaster preparedness, and promote innovation-driven growth. At the same time, the emergence of these technologies calls for thoughtful governance, responsible regulations, and continuing dialogue to ensure that innovation serves our citizens and contributes to inclusive development.

As parliamentarians, we have a crucial role to play in shaping legislative frameworks that encourage innovation while safeguarding fundamental rights, transparency, and public trust. By exchanging experiences and best practices, we can help ensure that technological progress becomes a catalyst for regional cooperation rather than a source of new divides.
Ladies and gentlemen, the future of our region will be shaped by our collective ability to work together in addressing common challenges. I am confident that our discussions today will generate valuable ideas and practical recommendations that will further advance our common objectives.

I wish our plenary session every success and look forward to productive and meaningful deliberations,” Shalva Papuashvili concluded.