Georgian PM calls Orbán “true friend”, “exemplary politician, leader”

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday hosted his visiting Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán at a dinner in Tsinandali Radisson Collection, in the country’s eastern winemaking Kakheti region, and hailed him as a “true friend of Georgia” and an “exemplary leader and politician”. 

 

He claimed Orbán’s visit came at a “critical time” for Georgia, when the European Union has to decide on his country’s candidate status in December, and stressed “everyone can see who is a true friend who supports Georgia and who wants to see the country  in Europe and with Europe”. 

 

For his part, Orbán said the visit highlighted the “importance of bilateral ties”, and claimed both nations had enjoyed “miraculous past”, before failing their maintenance of language and Christian values. 

 

The PMs are scheduled to make joint press comments later today. 

 

The domestic opposition claimed the Hungarian PM’s visit was unlikely to benefit Georgia’s EU aspirations, calling him a “Putin’s ally” and “much disliked” in the bloc.