Day: February 27, 2024

On February 27, on the occasion of World NGO Day, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, issued a statement underlining the role of NGOs in safeguarding the values shared by the EU and Georgia, stressing their necessity for any democracy and in particular in the context of Georgia’s European integration. He stressed civil society organizations’ role in political life as a link between citizens and political leaders, and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting the work of NGOs in Georgia and around the world.

The statement begins by emphasizing the “pivotal role” of NGOs “in ensuring the values that European Union and Georgia share – democracy, freedom, the rule of law and human rights, including the rights of minorities.”

Ambassador Herczyński highlights the performance of NGOs in monitoring government as “an essential element of any democracy”. He also stresses their importance in providing “vital social services,” especially to vulnerable communities. Noting that Georgia “benefits from a vibrant civil society”, the Ambassador says that “NGOs make valuable contribution to Georgia’s EU integration”.

He emphasizes NGOs role in amplyfying the voices of people “that might otherwise go unheard,” stressing that the NGOs “serve as a vital bridge between citizens and political leaders.”

The Ambassador reaffirms the EU’s commitment to supporting the work of NGOs, stressing that their “meaningful involvement is crucial to build a more just, equitable, and prosperous future for all of us.”

Recently Georgian NGOs have often been the subject of verbal attacks and accusations of “lack of transparency,” “political bias,” “funding extremism,” etc. by government leaders, including the Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, and others.

Also Read

• 20/01/2024 – Speaker Lashes out at Tolerance Center, SovLab, CSOs, USAID Over Stalin’s Image in Church
• 25/10/2023 – Speaker: USAID and EED ‘Fund Extremism in Georgia’
• 02/10/2023 – Security Service Says USAID-funded Trainers were Plotting to Foment Unrest in Georgia
• 22/04/2022 – Kobakhidze Slams ‘NGO Clan’ Over Judiciary Criticism
• 10/03/2023 – Quick Take | “Foreign Agents” Bill Down, but Ruling Party Rhetoric Not Out

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The approval “is a significant step forward in further normalization of the U.S.-China market in anticipation of the Summer 2024 traffic season,” the USDOT said.

More than 150 weekly round-trip passenger flights were allowed by each side before restrictions were imposed in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but until August 2023, Chinese and U.S. carriers could each fly only 12 a week between

the two countries.

The number rose on Sept. 1 to 18 weekly roundtrips and then to 24 per week starting Oct. 29. The USDOT approved 35 for Chinese carriers in November.

Airlines for America, a group representing American Airlines , Delta Air Lines and United Airlines, which fly a combined 31 weekly flights to China, said it “supports the U.S. government’s approach to slowly, gradually and reciprocally reopen the market with China. It’s imperative the U.S. government maintains this approach.”

The Chinese embassy in Washington said it was “glad to see the positive progress made on increasing direct passenger flights between China and the U.S.” The embassy added it is working to “further facilitate cross-border travel and promote people-to-people exchange between the two countries.”

Reuters reported last June that newly approved Chinese flights to the United States were not overflying Russia, which would have given them a shorter flight time and fuel advantage over U.S. rivals blocked from Russian airspace.

Other international air markets involving China have reopened far more quickly, with seat capacity between China and the United Kingdom this month exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 30%, and China-Singapore by 6%, according to aviation data

provider OAG.

The USDOT said it was engaged in a productive dialogue with China’s aviation regulator towards the “implementation of a roadmap to provide for a gradual, broader reopening of the U.S.-China air services market and a phased and predictable return to the capacity entitlements” specified under a U.S.-China agreement.

On a trip to China last year, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said she wanted to boost travel and tourism between the two countries.

If China returned to 2019 U.S. tourism levels, it would add $30 billion to the U.S. economy and 50,000 U.S. jobs, Raimondo said in August.

On the margins of #HRC55 had a useful exchange w/@ICRCPresident Mirjana Spoljaric. Discussed coop w/@ICRC on humanitarian issues, incl fate of missing persons & enforced disappearances, POWs & other persons held in AZ.

Touched upon current security situation in #SouthCaucasus. pic.twitter.com/GquOChok6E

— Ararat Mirzoyan (@AraratMirzoyan) February 27, 2024