The State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Ketevan Tsikhelashvili, Ambassador of the EU to Georgia, Carl Hartzell and the Head of Information Center on NATO and EU, Nino Bolkvadze visited Pankisi Gorge.

State Minister visited several villages. Meetings were held with the representatives of local self-government in Kvareltskali village, the elders in Pankisi and the members of the Women's Council, as well as pupils of the village Birkiani public school. At the end the guests met with the teachers and principals of the village of Duisi, who recently visited Brussels under the joint project of the State Minister's Office and Information Center on NATO and the European Union.

The teachers talked about their impressions and experiences and the guests received information about the needs and challenges of the Gorge. 

"Today I am in the Pankisi Gorge with the EU ambassador. It is very important that our strategic partner is interested and has greatly helped us in implementing the project within which 20 teachers and school principals visited Brussels. They have not only listened to European and Euro-Atlantic integration, but also with their own eyes.

"We talked about the needs of the Gorge, the Government's development program. As the prime minister said on the meeting with locals, in order to bring Pankisi out of the impasse, it is necessary to promote tourism, improve socio-economic situation, provide more involvement of young people and make education more accessible", - said Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.