Prague, Feb 22 (CTK) – The Czech Republic supports Georgia’s effort to join NATO and wants to continue to help Georgia modernise its military, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said after meeting his Georgian counterpart Giorgi Kvirikashvili in Prague on Monday.
The two prime ministers also discussed the pro-European efforts of Georgia and bilateral economic relations.
Kvirikashvili and his delegation were also received by President Milos Zeman at Prague Castle this afternoon.
Sobotka described relations between Prague and Tbilisi as intensive and exceeding usual standards.
“We appreciated the pro-European orientation of Georgia, its activity within the EU’s Eastern Partnership project, and also its engaged approach to its partnership with NATO, Sobotka said.
Prague is ready to continue supporting Georgia’s transformation efforts, he said.
Kvirikashvili thanked for the Czech support for the democratisation of Georgia. Like Sobotka, he said he is convinced that Czech-Georgian economic relations have a promising potential.
Zeman and Kvirikashvili spoke about Georgia’s pro-western orientation, presidential spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said.
“The country is ready for visa liberalisation during this year, also with the Czech Republic’s support. It can also be said Georgia has made progress on its way to NATO,” Ovcacek said.
Georgia has sought NATO entry for several years now, but some NATO countries warn that the step may irritate Russia.
At its Bucharest summit in 2008, NATO indicated the possibility of Georgia’s admission if it meets all required conditions.
A Prague visit by the Georgian prime minister was originally scheduled for November 2015 but it was postponed due to a coinciding extraordinary EU summit. In the meantime, Kvirikashvili, former Georgian foreign minister, became the country’s prime minister.
He is the first Georgian prime minister to visit Prague since the end of 2011, when his predecessor Mikhail Saakashvili attended the funeral of former Czech president Vaclav Havel.
