More than 100 parliamentarians to meet for economic conference in Batumi, Georgia President Saakashvili to address opening session

COPENHAGEN, 10 May 2012 – Nearly 250 participants including more than 100 parliamentarians from 30 countries will convene in Batumi, Georgia 11-14 May for a conference focused on fostering economic co-operation, sustainable development and stability in the OSCE region.

The sessions begin at 10:00 on Saturday, 12 May at the Batumi Sheraton.

Conference speakers will include:
• OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Petros Efthymiou (Greece)
• President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia
• Chairman of the Georgian Parliament David Bakradze
• Prime Minister Nika Gilauri of Georgia
• Andrei Illarionov (Russia), Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute
• Kathleen Ferrier (The Netherlands), OSCE PA Special Representative on Migration
• Goran Svilanovic (Serbia), OSCE Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities
• Eustathios Lozos (Greece), Chairman of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Committee

Other speakers from parliaments, governments, the private sector, inter-governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations will also address the conference.

Discussions will focus on strengthening energy security and efficiency, creating a transparent investment environment, addressing security challenges through economic policy, expanding transportation and tourism development, and growing small- and medium-sized enterprises.

The full list of speakers and sessions is included in the programme, available here (subject to change).
All sessions of the economic conference are open to the media. Journalists must present a valid ID at the conference check-in desk to receive a press pass for the event. For interview requests, contact Neil Simon or Maka Giguari.

This is a press release issued by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The views expressed in this press release do not necessarily reflect those of the OSCE Chairmanship, nor of all OSCE participating States.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is comprised of 320 parliamentarians from 55 countries spanning, Europe, Central Asia and North America. The Assembly provides a forum for parliamentary diplomacy, monitors elections, and strengthens international co-operation to uphold commitments on political, security, economic, environmental and human rights issues.

Media contacts: 

Neil Simon, OSCE PA, Director of Communications, neil@oscepa.dk  +45 60 10 83 80 cell

Georgian Parliament Press Office,  Ms. Maka Giguari, m_gigauri@parliament.ge   +995 577 987801 cell