Minister of Internal Affairs Giorgi Mgebrishvili met with the Minister of Interior of Lithuania Eimutis Misiunas.
At the meeting sides discussed the importance of fruitful cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of the two countries. Giorgi Mgebrishvili thanked Minister of the Lithuanian Ministry of Interior for special support in the process of European integration and visa liberalization of Georgia.
Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia also highlighted the Eastern Partnership Police Cooperation Program which is aimed at deepening cooperation between the EU and Eastern Partnership countries, sharing best practices, standardization and harmonization in police sphere. Within the frames of the program, the Republic of Lithuania is the main partner of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.
At the meeting Giorgi Mgebrishvili introduced the current and planned reforms to the Lithuanian Minister of Interior, including criminal police reforms, community policing and analyzes- based police activity projects, as well as the high-tech and multifunctional Joint Operations Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Giorgi Mgebrishvili also focused on the international training program of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, within the scope of which the joint trainings on various strategic issues with the law enforcement agencies of the regional and neighboring countries will be held to ensure the efficiency of the fight against crime, the development of a common approach, as well as important contacts formation.
After the meeting Giorgi Mgebrishvili and Minister of Interior of Lithuania signed a joint statement on "Cooperation in the field of European aspirations between the Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia and Minister of the Interior of Lithuania". According to the document, bilateral relations between Georgian and the Lithuanian Ministries of Interior will be further enhanced, including in the context of European aspirations. Georgian and Lithuanian law enforcers will share experiences and best practices in the implementation of police reforms and fight against crime, as well as integrated border management, regulation of migration, maintenance of public order, civil defense and expert-criminalist directions.