Georgian prime minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has announced that his government is drafting legislation that will facilitate the diplomatic admission of NATO ships operating in the Black Sea to Georgia’s territorial waters and ports.
“[The] Georgian side is ready to host and support the Alliance’s vessels located in the Black Sea,” the prime minister said while presenting a report on Georgia-NATO relations to the country’s parliament.
According to the report, Georgia stands ready to step up its role in preserving peace and security in the Black Sea region “thanks to the intensification of NATO visits”. In 2019, American, British, Bulgarian, Dutch, Romanian ships visited Georgia while NATO officers also conducted training sessions with the Georgian Coast Guard.
In February, Mr Bakhtadze praised NATO’s open-door policy, saying that “this is the only right response to the challenge coming from the Russian Federation.”
The prime minister’s report will be followed by a draft legislative package presented to Georgian MPs by the end of June.
Add Comment