Majilis Speaker pays official visit to Georgia

The Majilis delegation's work in Tbilisi began with a visit to the Georgian Parliament. Meeting with Shalva Papuashvili, Yerlan Koshanov emphasized that Kazakhstan deeply values the shared history and strong friendship between the nations. All this guarantees successful, long-term cooperation between the two countries.

Koshanov recalled Prime Minister Kobakhidze's recent official visit.

"During the meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the sides outlined areas for further fruitful development of bilateral cooperation. These are trade, energy, manufacturing, investment, tourism, and digitalization. I am confident that parliamentary diplomacy will significantly contribute to implementing the agreements at the highest level," the Majilis Speaker stated.

He also referenced the productive official visit of Speaker Shalva Papuashvili to Astana in 2024, during which ways to intensify cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries were discussed.

Yerlan Koshanov also briefed Papuashvili on the political and economic reforms in Kazakhstan initiated by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. These include plans to transition to a unicameral parliament to strengthen the institution of parliamentarism. Discussion of the initiative involves all political parties and the general public.

Koshanov detailed the Majilis's legislative work, emphasizing laws that ensure social justice, implement the Law and Order principle, and boost economic development.

In response, Shalva Papuashvili noted that the Georgian and Kazakh peoples are bound by special friendly relations, which are rooted in ancient history. He stressed that today it is important not to lose these strong ties, but rather to work in every way to strengthen them and pass them on to the youth as a priceless legacy. The Georgian Parliament Speaker expressed confidence that the Kazakh Majilis Speaker's visit will provide a new boost to political dialogue, emphasizing the need to expand direct contacts between parliamentarians to address practical issues in trade and economic, cultural and humanitarian, transport and logistics, and other areas.

The sides expressed commitment to provide legislative support for expanding mutually beneficial cooperation in investment, tourism, manufacturing, agro-industrial sectors, and innovation development. They agreed to continue sharing legislative experience and strengthening collaboration through friendship groups, specialized committees, and parliamentary offices.

The speakers also discussed closer collaboration at multilateral platforms, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, noting that both nations share a desire for peace, stability, respect for international law, and the principles of mutual trust.

At the end of the meeting, the sides signed a memorandum of cooperation between the Kazakh Parliament's Majilis and the Georgian Parliament, formalizing agreements for the development of political dialogue, strengthening mutual trust, and exchanging legislative experience.

Meeting with the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, Koshanov conveyed warm greetings and good wishes from the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. He highlighted that the Head of State always pays special attention to strengthening relations with Georgia, and the two countries are bound by deep historical roots, centuries-old traditions of friendship, and mutual support.

Yerlan Koshanov congratulated Georgia on its successful parliamentary and presidential elections, noting the country's confident progress as an economically developed, open, rule-of-law state. He also spoke about large-scale political transformations in Kazakhstan as part of the formula 'strong President – influential Parliament – accountable Government.' At the same time, Yerlan Koshanov detailed the President's initiatives to introduce artificial intelligence into all spheres of life and achieve the ambitious goal of transforming the country into a digital state within the next three years.

During talks with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, the sides discussed prospects for mutual improvement of business conditions, expanding transit potential, and boosting cooperation in manufacturing, metallurgy, machine engineering, and the agro-industrial sector. Koshanov assured the Prime Minister that parliamentarians of the two countries are always ready to provide timely legislative support for agreements at the highest level.

The MPs concluded their visit by touring the Georgian Parliament Museum.

Earlier, the Kazakh Senate approved extradition treaty between Kazakhstan and Morocco.