Georgia and Romania Sign Strategic Agreement

On October 11, the President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, and the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, signed a declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

The Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation is based on the provisions of the Treaty signed between Georgia and Romania on March 26, 1996. With the declaration, the parties reaffirm their strong mutual support for the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and inviolability of internationally recognized borders of both countries, as well as their unwavering commitment to the principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act, and respect for the fundamental norms and principles of international law.

After signing the declaration, Zurabishvili said that Georgia and Romania are determined to raise the solid partnership existing between them to the level of strategic partnership. "It is a great honor for me to sign a joint declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership together with my colleague, Klaus Iohannis," President Zurabishvili said.

On his part, President Iohannis emphasized that the agreement was a historic moment in bilateral relations between Georgia and Romania. "By signing a joint declaration with [Georgia's] president, we have established a strategic partnership between Romania and Georgia, as agreed during our meeting in New York in 2019," he noted.

The President of Romania also emphasized that the two countries aim to improve their ties in transport, energy, and people-to-people contacts through the agreement.

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Georgia to Romania, Nikoloz Nikolizishvili, wrote that "the official visit of the President of Georgia to Romania has ended. Georgia and Romania are strategic partners from now on".

The Georgian President also visited the Romanian port of Constanta and met with the executive director of the seaport. They discussed developing economic cooperation between Romania and Georgia and establishing sea ferry shipping lines. Currently, Georgia only has direct, regular ferry services with Ukraine and Bulgaria; however, in the presence of a blue border with the European Union, it is also crucial to start ferry services to Romania.

EU: "Russia-Issued Passports in Occupied Territories are Invalid"

On October 12, EU ambassadors reached an agreement not to recognize documents issued by Russia in the occupied regions of Georgia and Ukraine.

According to the decision, documents issued to Russian-occupied regions or citizens living there will not be valid for obtaining visas or crossing borders in the Schengen area.

The press release of the Council of the European Union emphasizes that this decision is a response to Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and Russia's practice of issuing Russian international passports to residents of occupied regions.

"It also followed Russia's unilateral decision in 2008 to recognize the independence of the Georgian territories, Abkhazia and South Ossetia," the release said. The statement also mentions that although Russian travel documents issued in these regions are already not recognized by EU member states or are in the process of not being recognized, this decision aims to establish a common approach, as well as to ensure the proper functioning of the external border and common visa policy, and to protect the security of EU member states.