UK foreign secretary urges Georgia ensure media, court freedom, strengthen civil society

In order to consolidate democracy and strengthen your institutions against those who want to undermine you, I urge you to renew and strengthen your commitments to media freedom, a thriving civil society and the independence of the judiciary, James Cleverly, the British foreign secretary said in Tbilisi.  In a briefing with his Georgian counterpart, the British official stressed his country would remain “a firm and steadfast friend of Georgia”. 

 

Cleverly has already met with Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, where officials discussed “strategic cooperation”, prospects to further strengthen partnership, and security challenges sparked by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

 

Before leaving the country later on Friday, the British official will also visit the occupation line in central Georgia.