Saakashvili to speak at 21st congress of European People's Party in Bucharest
TBILISI. Oct 17 (Interfax) - Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili will participate in the 21st congress of the European People's Party in Bucharest.
The congress session envisions speeches by country leaders, prime ministers, and the presidents of the Council of Europe and the European Commission, the Georgian presidential secretariat said.
Saakashvili will deliver a report on Wednesday.
During his visit to Bucharest, Saakashvili will also hold a number of bilateral meetings.
The European People's Party is expected to present its platform, plans and objectives at the congress. The party also plans to elect a new president and secretary general. Taking part in the congress in Bucharest are leaders from 16 countries, the Georgian presidential secretariat said.
European People's Party President Wilfried Martens said that the plans of the Georgian Dream coalition, which won Georgia's recent parliamentary elections, to join the EU and NATO and at the same time normalize relations with Russia are incompatible.
"Georgian Dream thinks it is possible to combine integration into NATO and cooperation with Russia; the question is: how is this possible? I'm afraid that Georgia will not be able to become a member of NATO and the EU if the country will have close relations with Russia. For Georgia, this will be a road to the past, not to the future. I think the only correct way for Georgia's clear future is confirmation of a course toward integration and cooperation with NATO on defense and security matters," Martens said in an interview shown on Imedi TV channel on October 6.