Juan David Latorre
The Embassy of Georgia held a reception last Friday to celebrate its Independence Day. Ambassador Alexander Chkuaseli stressed during his speech: “Every 26 May, apart from our Independence, we reaffirm the will of our people to live in freedom, dignity and in full harmony with European values”.
Attended by a large number of members of the Georgian community living in Madrid and members of the diplomatic corps (attended by the ambassadors of Azerbaijan, Malta, Iran and Uzbekistan, together with members of numerous delegations) e illustrious assists as the singer Albano and the Georgian-Spanish UFC World Featherweight Champion, Ilia Topuria.
The Georgian ambassador thanked in his speech “the continued support of its partners and friends, such as Spain, for Georgia’s territorial integrity and European aspirations”. “Spain and Georgia share a bond, pointed out Alexander Chkuaseli, the concept of two Iberians, to be found in Greco-Roman historical sources. On the one hand, Iberia in the West, the Iberian Peninsula, and on the other, Iberia in the East, in the former kingdom of Colchis, which today is modern Georgia. The two Iberias are historical reflections that evoke a connection between our nations. This coincidence, more than curious, is a beautiful metaphor for our cultural closeness and shared values.”
At the international level, the Georgian ambassador noted that “the unjust war in Ukraine reminds us that freedom cannot be taken for granted. Georgia and Ukraine share similar security challenges. My country was the first to experience large-scale Russian military aggression in 2008, as well as an attempt to forcibly alter my country’s borders and expel thousands of people from their homes. It is not an easy task to maintain peace and stability in Georgia in turbulent times. In this context, I would like to express Georgia’s strong support for the Ukrainian people, whose struggle is also ours. A struggle for freedom, sovereignty and the right to decide our own future”.
The Georgian ambassador welcomed “the strengthening of parliamentary cooperation with Spain, the exchange of official visits and the willingness to preserve and promote political dialogue, as well as the mutual interest in expanding our economic, educational and cultural relations. Spain is a valuable and reliable partner, and we will work to bring this collaboration to new levels and I hope, from my new and honourable trust as ambassador, that I can make my modest contribution to this endeavour”.
“In the economic field, continued Alexander Chkuaseli, we have witnessed a gradual but steady growth in bilateral trade, with emerging opportunities in sectors such as infrastructure, renewable energy, tourism, quality agriculture and new technologies. Numerous Spanish companies have already discovered an attractive destination in Georgia to invest and expand their activities.”
“Looking to the future, concluded the ambassador of Georgia, we express our sincere wishes that the cooperation between George and Spain will continue to deepen and continue to build bridges of collaboration with a view to a common European future, based on peace, stability and mutual respect.”
