Georgian president pays historic visit to Austria

Salome Zurabishvili has become the first Georgian president who has visited Austria on an official visit for the first time after 100 years. 

 

She met  with Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen earlier today and thanked him for the invitation and the country’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

 

Zurabishvili also thanked Austria for gifting coronavirus vaccines and its participation with five representatives in the European Union Monitoring mission, observing the situation near the Georgian Russian occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions. 

 

Zurabishvili said that Austria had also experienced occupation and its success and advancement gave hope to Georgia. 

 

She stated that both before and after recent municipal elections in Georgia the role of the president was to mediate between the parties and ease polarisation. 

 

President Alexander van der Bellen also expressed hope that political polarisation will end in Georgia and parties will stand unanimously for the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration. 

 

He reaffirmed Austria’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

 

Georgia and Austria will celebrate their 30th anniversary from the establishment of diplomatic ties next year. 

 

Zurabishvili began his Austrin trip today with a meeting with the Georgian diaspora in Vienna. 

 

She will leave the country tomorrow.