The Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, H.E. Shalva Papuashvili, addressed the 67th PABSEC Plenary Session.

"It is a great honour to welcome you to the 67th Plenary Session of the PABSEC.

As one of the founding members of PABSEC, Georgia attaches particular importance to this Assembly as a unique platform that brings together the legislative bodies of our countries and promotes dialogue, mutual understanding and practical cooperation in support of our shared peace and prosperity. As the country holding the presidency of PABSEC, we have been consistently working to strengthen parliamentary cooperation across the Black Sea region”, - Shalva Papuashvili stated.

According to the Speaker of Parliament, PABSEC has always served as an important regional pillar of inter-parliamentary cooperation, and today its role is more relevant than ever.

"The Black Sea region is at a critical juncture. Ongoing geopolitical developments, growing economic uncertainty and emerging technological transformations are reshaping both our region and the broader international order. At a time when global organizations are failing to ensure peace, cooperation and stability, regional formats such as PABSEC have a unique opportunity to unite us around our shared pragmatic interests, which our parliaments represent on behalf of our peoples.

Parliamentary assemblies are particularly responsive to the political preferences of their citizens and electorates and are therefore better informed about the priorities determined by the people. We value each other's peace and security far more than external actors do, especially amid the profound geopolitical upheavals triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago, which has directly affected the entire Black Sea region and turned it into one of the world's key geopolitical focal points.

Even under these challenging circumstances, geopolitics must serve the economic interests of our peoples—not the other way around. Therefore, PABSEC must maintain a clear focus on advancing economic cooperation, trade and connectivity—in other words, on improving the well-being of our citizens”, - Shalva Papuashvili said.

According to the Speaker of Parliament, the visionary founders of the BSEC, and subsequently PABSEC, deliberately made the “economy” the cornerstone of the organization's mission, as reflected in its very name.

"When international powers use international organizations as instruments of their narrow political interests and place geopolitics above people, they undermine peace, security and stability.

This is precisely what leads to economic stagnation—the neglect of people's needs in favour of geopolitical games. Such games also widen the gap between elites and the public, ultimately resulting in the loss of public support for reckless leaders and their governments and contributing to radicalization as a primary driver of political polarization”, - Shalva Papuashvili noted.

In his assessment, the region today possesses tremendous potential to strengthen its role as a hub for trade, transport, energy and digital connectivity.

"The current period should be viewed not only through the prism of challenges but also as an opportunity to deepen our cooperation. The development of the Middle Corridor has gained particular significance. By improving transport infrastructure, expanding logistics networks, facilitating trade and strengthening multimodal connectivity, we can transform our region into an attractive and reliable link between regions and continents.

A more stable neighbourhood is in the interest of every country represented in this Assembly. The ongoing peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as efforts aimed at normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia, are encouraging developments that create prospects for greater stability and cooperation throughout our wider region.

Earlier this month, the upgraded Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway line became operational—a joint strategic project of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. It is a clear example of how practical cooperation can generate shared benefits and help realize our common vision of a more connected and prosperous region.

We also see considerable potential in strengthening interregional cooperation. In my capacity as President of PABSEC, I participated in the First Summit of Speakers of Parliament of the Member and Partner States of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean. I am confident that by reinforcing cooperation among regional parliamentary assemblies, we will be able to cooperate even more effectively and deliver tangible results for our peoples”, - the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia stated.

As Shalva Papuashvili noted, artificial intelligence presents new opportunities for strengthening regional connectivity in the Black Sea region.

"The theme of our General Debate is Artificial Intelligence and regional cooperation. Artificial intelligence creates new opportunities for the Black Sea region to strengthen regional connectivity, improve trade and logistics, enhance the efficiency of border management, develop smart transport systems, reinforce disaster preparedness and promote innovation-driven economic growth. At the same time, the rapid development of these technologies requires sound governance, responsible regulation and continuous dialogue to ensure that innovation serves our citizens and contributes to inclusive development.

As parliamentarians, we bear a particular responsibility to establish legislative frameworks that, on the one hand, encourage innovation and, on the other, safeguard fundamental rights, transparency and public trust. By sharing experience and best practices, we can help ensure that technological progress becomes a catalyst for regional cooperation rather than a source of new divisions.

The future of our region will be determined by how effectively we work together to address our common challenges. I am confident that today's discussions will generate valuable ideas and practical recommendations that will further advance our shared objectives.

I wish our Plenary Session every success and look forward to productive and substantive discussions”, - stated the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili.