Georgian Delegation visited Strasbourg to attend 36th Session of the Congress, with “Mayors safeguarding democracy” as this year’s theme. Delegation was composed of Mr. Giorgi Tkemaladze – Vice-President of NALAG and Chairman of Tbilisi City Assembly, Ms. Tamar Taliashvili – Vice-President of NALAG and Vice-President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Mr. Beka Davituliani – member  of Tbilisi City Assembly, Ms. Sevdia Ugrekhelidze – Deputy of Mtskheta City Council, Mr. Irakli Cheishvili – member of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara and  Ms. Nino Kavtaradze  – a deputy head of Georgian delegation to congress.

Before the plenary sitting Georgian delegation participated in bureau and committee meetings. Participants discussed issues of open governance on local and regional level, conflict of interests, integration of elected representatives and protection of IDPs.

Ms. Tamar Taliashvili talked about territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia, as well as the results of the creeping occupation policy and the statistics of the Internally  Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Georgia.  She also took part in discussion on the topic of open governance at regional level and presented the cases of Tbilisi open governance and citizen involvement in regulating major city eco-challenges.

Throughout the visit Georgian delegation had the meeting with Mr. Andreas Kiefer, the Secretary General of the Congress, where parties discussed the measures to be implemented during Georgia’s Presidency of the Council of Europe. 

Young delegates from the 47 member states also participated in the debates. Mr. Koka Kapanadze represented Georgia and made a presentation about social rights of young people and partnership for local democracy.