On 22 January, the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM), Mr. Erik Høeg, met with Mr. Giorgi Gakharia, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia.
The discussion centered on the recently approved extension of the EUMM, the functional cooperation between the MIA and the Mission and recent developments at the Administrative Boundary Lines.
Mr. Høeg outlined developments in the Mission’s mandate pursuant to the extension to December 2020, and the Mission’s current monitoring priorities. In this context, he underlined the importance of continuing strong information sharing and compliance with international agreements by Georgian authorities, including MIA units.
Mr. Gakharia thanked the Mission for its continuous efforts on the ground along the Administrative Boundary Lines, and highlighted the role and value of the Mission-managed Hotline mechanism as a practical tool in conflict management.
Mr. Høeg and Mr. Gakharia agreed on practical steps to enhance functional cooperation between the Mission and the MIA, in line with existing agreements and the operational impartiality of the Mission.
Finally, the Minister and the Head of the EUMM briefly touched on recent developments at the Administrative Boundary Lines, including the role of the Incident Prevention and Reponses Mechanisms (IPRM) in promoting stability.
The Minister highlighted the role of the Mission-managed Hotline mechanism as a practical tool in conflict management
Head of Mission underlined the importance of continuing strong information sharing and compliance with international agreements by Georgian authorities, including MIA units
