03:53Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed his gratitude to Hungary’s Viktor Orban over his support for Tbilisi’s independence, during his visit to the city on Tuesday after parliamentary elections were held.
"I thank Hungary for supporting our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Of course, it is also important for us to further develop trade and economic relations, to develop trade and economic relations with Hungary in various fields," Kobakhidze said.
The Georgian prime minister also touched on Budapest’s contribution to helping Tbilisi obtain EU candidate status.
"Our main external priority is EU integration. Of course, Hungary is very important from this point of view. Throughout this period, Hungary has been an ardent supporter, supporting Georgia on the path of European integration," Kobakhidze added. "Hungary has played a very important role, a very special role, in helping Georgia to achieve candidate status."
On December 14, 2023, European Council President Charles Michel announced via X that the EU leaders' summit in Brussels had granted Georgia candidate status for EU accession.
Orban met with Kobakhidze on Tuesday and held a joint briefing. The Hungarian PM congratulated his counterpart on his party's parliamentary election win, which he said was 'free and democratic', and praised the nation for "not allowing your country to become a second Ukraine". Orban added that he thought there was only a row over the outcome of the elections because 'the Conservatives won'.
In Saturday's elections, the Georgian Dream party was victorious with 53.93 per cent of the vote. Around two million people turned out to vote, representing a 59 per cent turnout.
Pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili said that she did not 'recognise' the result and called for protests, suggesting there had been Russian interference, which Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed as 'nonsense'.
Representatives of the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change opposition parties have also contested the results. Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili claimed that the election was 'completely rigged and stolen'.
Kobakhidze described the opposition's actions as a 'hopeless attempt' to save face. Orban congratulated Kobakhidze on his 'overwhelming victory', while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also sent a congratulatory letter to the prime minister, calling the Georgian Dream party a 'leading political force'. Meanwhile, the US has called for a 'full investigation' into the vote by observers.
'I thank Hungary for supporting our sovereignty and territorial integrity' - Georgian PM on Orban's visit following elections
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed his gratitude to Hungary’s Viktor Orban over his support for Tbilisi’s independence, during his visit to the city on Tuesday after parliamentary elections were held.
"I thank Hungary for supporting our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Of course, it is also important for us to further develop trade and economic relations, to develop trade and economic relations with Hungary in various fields," Kobakhidze said.
The Georgian prime minister also touched on Budapest’s contribution to helping Tbilisi obtain EU candidate status.
"Our main external priority is EU integration. Of course, Hungary is very important from this point of view. Throughout this period, Hungary has been an ardent supporter, supporting Georgia on the path of European integration," Kobakhidze added. "Hungary has played a very important role, a very special role, in helping Georgia to achieve candidate status."
On December 14, 2023, European Council President Charles Michel announced via X that the EU leaders' summit in Brussels had granted Georgia candidate status for EU accession.
Orban met with Kobakhidze on Tuesday and held a joint briefing. The Hungarian PM congratulated his counterpart on his party's parliamentary election win, which he said was 'free and democratic', and praised the nation for "not allowing your country to become a second Ukraine". Orban added that he thought there was only a row over the outcome of the elections because 'the Conservatives won'.
In Saturday's elections, the Georgian Dream party was victorious with 53.93 per cent of the vote. Around two million people turned out to vote, representing a 59 per cent turnout.
Pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili said that she did not 'recognise' the result and called for protests, suggesting there had been Russian interference, which Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed as 'nonsense'.
Representatives of the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change opposition parties have also contested the results. Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili claimed that the election was 'completely rigged and stolen'.
Kobakhidze described the opposition's actions as a 'hopeless attempt' to save face. Orban congratulated Kobakhidze on his 'overwhelming victory', while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also sent a congratulatory letter to the prime minister, calling the Georgian Dream party a 'leading political force'. Meanwhile, the US has called for a 'full investigation' into the vote by observers.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze expressed his gratitude to Hungary’s Viktor Orban over his support for Tbilisi’s independence, during his visit to the city on Tuesday after parliamentary elections were held.
"I thank Hungary for supporting our sovereignty and territorial integrity. Of course, it is also important for us to further develop trade and economic relations, to develop trade and economic relations with Hungary in various fields," Kobakhidze said.
The Georgian prime minister also touched on Budapest’s contribution to helping Tbilisi obtain EU candidate status.
"Our main external priority is EU integration. Of course, Hungary is very important from this point of view. Throughout this period, Hungary has been an ardent supporter, supporting Georgia on the path of European integration," Kobakhidze added. "Hungary has played a very important role, a very special role, in helping Georgia to achieve candidate status."
On December 14, 2023, European Council President Charles Michel announced via X that the EU leaders' summit in Brussels had granted Georgia candidate status for EU accession.
Orban met with Kobakhidze on Tuesday and held a joint briefing. The Hungarian PM congratulated his counterpart on his party's parliamentary election win, which he said was 'free and democratic', and praised the nation for "not allowing your country to become a second Ukraine". Orban added that he thought there was only a row over the outcome of the elections because 'the Conservatives won'.
In Saturday's elections, the Georgian Dream party was victorious with 53.93 per cent of the vote. Around two million people turned out to vote, representing a 59 per cent turnout.
Pro-EU President Salome Zurabishvili said that she did not 'recognise' the result and called for protests, suggesting there had been Russian interference, which Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova dismissed as 'nonsense'.
Representatives of the United National Movement and the Coalition for Change opposition parties have also contested the results. Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili claimed that the election was 'completely rigged and stolen'.
Kobakhidze described the opposition's actions as a 'hopeless attempt' to save face. Orban congratulated Kobakhidze on his 'overwhelming victory', while Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also sent a congratulatory letter to the prime minister, calling the Georgian Dream party a 'leading political force'. Meanwhile, the US has called for a 'full investigation' into the vote by observers.