On May 16, Irakli Kobakhidze, the Prime Minister of Georgia, attended the European Political Community Summit in Tirana, where he addressed regional security, Europe’s global role, and Georgia’s relations with EU institutions while also holding separate meetings with the leaders of Serbia, Slovakia, and Hungary.
During the summit, Kobakhidze took part in a roundtable titled “Securing Europe and Strengthening Democratic Resilience.” According to an official statement from the Georgian Dream government administration, Kobakhidze emphasized “the importance of a strong Europe for a strong world” and described current global trends as “alarming.” He stated that many European nations risk losing their identity while Europe itself weakens as a global actor and defender of its partners. Kobakhidze highlighted the severe repercussions of the war in Ukraine, stressing that “in such circumstances, other countries cannot count on security guarantees.”
In his address, Kobakhidze also pointed to “Georgia’s achievements” and the necessity of altering what he described as an “unjust attitude” toward the country. He argued that “Georgia outperforms several EU candidate countries in many key areas” and that this unfair approach harms the standing of European institutions. Kobakhidze expressed hope that meaningful changes would occur in Europe, which he deemed crucial for preserving a rules-based international order.
This stance aligns with Kobakhidze’s earlier comments, as reported in a Caucasus Watch article on May 14, where he called on European leaders to adopt a “fair attitude” toward Georgia during an interview on Imedi TV, reflecting his consistent push for better EU-Georgia relations. Additionally, as noted in a May 15 Caucasus Watch article, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also attended the EPC Summit, engaging with Albanian and EU leaders to discuss the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, indicating a broader regional focus on EU engagement at the summit.
On the sidelines of the summit, Kobakhidze met with Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Serbia. The Georgian Dream government administration reported that both leaders discussed expanding bilateral cooperation and addressing shared challenges in Europe. The importance of fair treatment, considered vital for a rules-based order, received particular emphasis during their conversation.
Kobakhidze also held talks with Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia. According to the official statement, their meeting focused on both bilateral and multilateral cooperation and reiterated their shared commitment to enhancing the partnership between their countries while addressing mutual challenges.
In a separate meeting with Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, Kobakhidze discussed the close political and economic relations between Georgia and Hungary. The press release noted that the forthcoming session of the Georgia-Hungary Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, scheduled to convene soon in Budapest, would further strengthen bilateral economic ties. 

On that same day, a brief yet cordial meeting between the Georgian Prime Minister and French President Emmanuel Macron at the summit indicated that Georgia and the EU might be moving beyond their previous disagreements.