The welcoming ceremony for the President of Georgia took place at Vilnius International Airport.
President Zourabichvili was greeted at Vilnius International Airport by the Chancellor of the Republic of Lithuania, Agila Barjiene, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to Georgia, Andrius Kalindra, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Georgia to the Republic of Lithuania, Salome Shapakidze, and the Military Attaché, Irakli Uchadze.
The official welcoming ceremony for the President of Georgia is set to take place tomorrow at the Palace of the President of the Republic of Lithuania.
High-level meetings are scheduled with the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonites, and Speaker of the Seimas Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen.
Following the face-to-face and extended meetings, the Presidents of Georgia and Lithuania will issue joint statements to the media.
President Zourabichvili is planned to lay a wreath at the memorial honoring the heroes who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for the independence of the Republic of Lithuania at the Antakalnis cemetery. Additionally, she will visit the Museum of the Occupation and Freedom Struggle of Lithuania.
President Zourabichvili and the First Lady of the Republic of Lithuania will visit the 'Ukrainian Center,' which was established during the war in Ukraine to assist internally displaced persons.
According to Salome Shapakidze, the Ambassador of Georgia to the Republic of Lithuania, President Zourabichvili's high-level visit holds significant importance. It is expected to further enhance and deepen the bilateral relations between the two countries. The timing of the visit is particularly opportune, especially in the context of European integration.
“As we approach the end of the year, the European Union is set to make a decision regarding the country's candidate status. In this context, the support of each EU member, including Lithuania, holds significant importance. Additionally, the visit bears significance for the country's integration into NATO, given the upcoming NATO summit preparations. The summit is scheduled to take place in Lithuania, in the city of Vilnius, on July 11-12 this year," said the ambassador.
President Zourabichvili traveled to Lithuania with a delegation that includes members such as deputies of the Parliament of Georgia, Aleksandre Elisashvili and Teona Akubardia, as well as Natia Sulava, Head of the Administration of the President of Georgia, and Ketevan Tatoshvili, Advisor to the President on Relations with International Organizations and Socio-Economic Issues.