The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released information about the meeting between Georgia’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgi Zurabashvili, and the Head of the European Union Delegation in Georgia, Ambassador Pawel Herczyński.

As explained by the Ministry, the purpose of the meeting was to convey Georgia’s position regarding the country’s efforts to ensure compliance with restrictive measures imposed by the EU against Russia and to prevent potential cases of sanctions evasion.

According to the statement, during the meeting, the Georgian side expressed hope that EU institutions and member states would take into account objective facts and the comprehensive measures taken by Georgia to ensure compliance with restrictive measures and prevent sanctions evasion. They emphasized that any imposition of restrictions should not harm the Caspian-Black Sea-Europe strategic corridor and the EU’s “Middle Corridor” initiative, of which the Kulevi seaport is an integral part.

“Giorgi Zurabashvili provided the EU side with detailed information on the steps taken by the Georgian government and the work of state agencies in monitoring the movement of cargo and ships on Georgian territory, identifying sanctioned entities, revealing international activities connected to the so-called ‘shadow fleet,’ and ensuring compliance with restrictive measures imposed by international financial institutions. The First Deputy Minister emphasized that information on Georgia’s efforts, proactive measures, and identified cases is regularly shared with international partners, primarily with the relevant EU institutions.

Zurabashvili noted that media reports suggesting the possible inclusion of Georgia’s Kulevi seaport in the EU sanctions list are completely incomprehensible, unfounded, and lack factual basis, as no cases of sanctioned ships being received or sanctions evasion have been recorded at the Kulevi port. The First Deputy Minister added that no questions or remarks regarding the functioning of the Kulevi seaport were received from EU institutions, against the backdrop of a well-established practice of cooperation between Georgia and the EU on restrictive measures over the years - a practice positively assessed by the EU representative on sanctions, David O’Sullivan,” the statement reads.