March, 2026 - The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.com

A senior delegation of parliamentarians from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, led by OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro, is visiting Georgia on March 8-10.

The delegation also includes Luís Graça, Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Special Representative on South Caucasus; Jevrosima Pejović, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Political Affairs and Security; Baroness Christine Blower, Vice Chair of the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions; and Roberto Montella, Secretary General of the OSCE PA.

“The visit will provide an opportunity for members of the OSCE PA to engage and exchange views with Georgian interlocutors on recent political developments and issues related to democracy, security and regional stability,” the OSCE PA said in a March 7 press release.

The delegation is set to meet with a “wide range” of political actors as well as the representatives from civil society, “to discuss the OSCE PA’s continued engagement with Georgia.”

Visit to the Occupation Line

The delegation visited the occupation line in the village of Khurvaleti in Gori municipality on March 8. They were accompanied by Levan Makhashvili, chair of the EU Integration Committee of Georgia’s disputed Parliament.

According to a press release from the Georgian Parliament, Makhashvili “briefed” the delegation on the “ongoing occupation of Georgia’s regions by the Russian Federation and its negative consequences, the problems faced by the local population, as well as the security challenges and threats related to the occupation.”

Meeting with Disputed Parliament Speaker

On March 9, OSCE PA President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro met with Speaker of Georgia’s disputed Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili.

Papuashvili wrote on social media that he “expressed gratitude” for the delegation’s “willingness to engage in open and constructive dialogue.” He added that he emphasized the importance of what he described as the OSCE/ODIHR’s “objective report” on Georgia’s 2024 parliamentary elections.

He also said Georgia remains a “loyal and active member” of the OSCE and that the country “will continue to support the organization’s activities in the future.”

According to Papuashvili, Sampietro emphasized during the meeting the role of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as a “common platform for dialogue” and stressed the importance of maintaining its relevance and effectiveness “in a world full of challenges.” He added that the official “reaffirmed firm support for Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

He further said the talks touched on “political developments in Georgia in recent years” and the work of the parliament. “I noted that the Georgian Parliament adopts laws in response to ongoing developments in the country and is actively working to safeguard Georgia’s democracy,” Papuashvili said.

“I also confirmed the Georgian side’s readiness to continue working on the implementation of OSCE/ODIHR recommendations,” he added. “We reaffirmed our readiness to continue the dialogue.”

According to IPN, Pere Joan Pons Sampietro described the meeting as “very good” and “sincere,” noting that the sides discussed “the findings of the 2024 report.”

“This was our first meeting. It was interesting and lasted more than an hour. We will discuss all the issues that concern this country, and then we will hold a press conference, because I want to hear all the views and data first, and after that we will speak,” Sampietro was quoted as saying.

More to follow…

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