Foreign leaders, EU officials extend congratulations to new Georgian PM, Cabinet

Foreign leaders and European Union officials on Friday extended their congratulations to Irakli Kobakhidze on his confirmation as Georgia’s new Prime Minister by the country’s Parliament on Thursday, along with his Cabinet. 

 

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan conveyed his felicitations to Kobakhidze via social media, expressing hopes for the further development of the strategic partnership between their nations. Pashinyan also emphasized the “deep-rooted friendship, shared values, and democratic ideals” which he claimed underpin Armenian-Georgian relations.

A telephone conversation took place betweenKobakhidze and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan. President Aliyev extended his congratulations and best wishes for success in Kobakhidze’s new role. In return, Kobakhidze congratulated President Aliyev on his recent electoral victory, underscoring the importance of further deepening bilateral cooperation between Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Oliver Varhelyi, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, took to social media to congratulate Kobakhidze on his appointment, highlighting the significance of 2024 for Georgia as it heads into elections. Varhelyi reiterated the EU’s commitment to supporting Georgia during this “important period”. 

Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, expressed his congratulations to Kobakhidze and his Cabinet, emphasizing the importance of EU-Georgia relations. Borrell affirmed his readiness to work closely with Georgia as the country progressed along its path towards the European Union after obtaining the bloc’s candidacy last year.