Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili received a delegation of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Relations on June 3. The sides discussed the relations between Georgia and the EU.

Ivanishvili said Georgia has no alternative to European integration. The European integration course is a long-term strategic goal of Tbilisi's foreign policy, he said.

Ivanishvili expressed hope that the reforms envisaged in Georgia will serve as genuine transformation of the country and considerably facilitate the process of European integration.

The European Parliament delegation includes a Czech MEP and a Slovak MEP from the group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats; two Polish MEPs from the group of European People's Party; a Polish MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists group; a Belgian MEP from the group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, and an Austrian MEP from the group of Greens/European Free Alliance.

Member of the European Parliament's delegation, Polish MP Krzysztof Lisek is due to meet with jailed former Prime Minister, Secretary General of the United National Movement (UNM) Vano Merabishvili.

Lisek told journalists that the meeting will be held on June 4. He thanked Minister of Justice Tea Tsulukiani who approved of his request on visiting Merabishvili in prison.

Merabishvili was reportedly detained on May 21 and accused of corrupt practices, abuse of power and embezzlement of public funds.

Lisek added that he will examine whether the conditions of Merabishvili's detention meet international standards.

The MPs are scheduled to meet with the Interior Minister, Justice Minister, Minister of Corrections, as well as representatives of the UNM parliamentary minority group.