“We will shortly initiate the process of applying to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), and we remain hopeful for a positive outcome,” stated Shalva Papuashvili, the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.

In his assessment, this step is of considerable significance, given that global formats have regrettably ceased to fulfil the functions for which they were originally established, making regional cooperation today a matter of decisive importance.

“The Assembly convenes once a year, so we hope that observer member status may be attainable at the next assembly. This matters all the more because everyone here, at this assembly, too, acknowledges one thing: that global formats have unfortunately failed to deliver on their original purpose. Regional cooperation has therefore taken on decisive importance today for several reasons, not least because the challenges we face are similar in nature. Countries that collaborate on regional platforms know these challenges intimately, know one another well, and are consequently better placed to arrive at realistic, results-oriented solutions. We therefore hope to be in a position to participate in this assembly before long,” Papuashvili stated.

The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament also spoke about the matters discussed during his meetings in Montenegro.

“Today, the parliamentary delegation is concluding its participation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. I had the opportunity to meet with the Vice-Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, during which we discussed the bilateral relationship, which is important to deepen both at the parliamentary level and more broadly between our two countries. We agreed to pursue cooperation and exchanges of visits. We spoke about the path Albania is travelling in its EU integration process and the difficulties that accompany that journey.

We discussed Georgia’s response to its own challenges, particularly in light of Brussels’ regrettable choice to adopt a confrontational stance, and how we remain steadfast in pursuing our own established course. We also spoke about economic cooperation between our countries. In addition, today we shall have the opportunity to meet with the Vice-Speaker of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where, alongside bilateral relations, we will likewise discuss the difficulties and challenges of the European integration path,” Papuashvili noted.