Georgia–Romania relations are the foreign relations between Georgia and Romania. Currently, Georgia is represented through an embassy in Bucharest and a consulate in Constanța. In the other hand, Romania has an embassy in Tbilisi. Both countries officially established their diplomatic relations on 25 June 1992.[1][2]

Georgia–Romania relations
Map indicating locations of Georgia and Romania

Georgia

Romania

Romania became the first country to recognize Georgia's independence, on 26 August 1991.[3] Georgia and Romania, together with Azerbaijan, are part of the Azerbaijan–Georgia–Romania Interconnector (AGRI) project. This project aims to transport Azerbaijani natural gas to the Black Sea coast of Georgia, where it will be liquefied and taken to the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanța. From there, the gas will be taken to different parts of Europe.[4][5] This project is expected to end by 2024–2026.[4] It was started following the signing of a memorandum on 13 April 2010 by representatives of the three countries.[6]

In 2021, the then Romanian ambassador to Georgia Răzvan Rotundu announced that Romania would donate 10,000 Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine units to Georgia to help the country deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

Anthim the Iberian is an important historical figure in Georgia and Romania and represents a symbol of the relations between these countries.[2] He was a Georgian theologian born in the 17th century in the Kingdom of Kartli, then known as Iberia in Europe. He arrived at the Romanian principality of Wallachia in 1689, where he led the printing press of the prince of the country and became abbot of various monasteries. He printed and wrote many books and eventually became the Metropolitan of Wallachia, with his actions also reaching other regions as well, including his native Georgia. Anthim died in 1716. He was canonized by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church in 1992 (having 27 September as his saint day) and was commemorated by the same institution in 2016 when it declared that year as a homage year to Anthim.[8] Since 2002, the rugby union teams of Romania (known as "The Oaks") and Georgia (known as "The Lelos") play the Antim Cup, named after Anthim the Iberian, every year. As of 2021, Georgia had won the cup 14 times while Romania had done so 6 times.[9] Both countries are full members of the BSCE and COE. Romania is a member of the EU, which Georgia became candidate in 2023.[10]

Resident diplomatic missions

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Georgia" (in Romanian). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b "ურთიერთობები საქართველოსა და რუმინეთს შორის" (in Georgian). Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia. Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Embassy of Romania in Georgia: Brief History". Embassy of Romania in Georgia.[dead link]
  4. ^ a b "Timeframe for implementation of AGRI project revealed". AzerNews. 8 March 2019.
  5. ^ "România, Azerbaidjan și Georgia au inventat un nou traseu al gazelor caspice. Cine îl va finanța? Cum comentați?". Ziarul Financiar (in Romanian). 14 April 2010.
  6. ^ "Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania sign trilateral LNG terminal deal". IHS Markit. 14 April 2010.
  7. ^ "Romania to donate 10 000 doses of AstraZeneca to Georgia". Georgian Journal. 9 July 2021.
  8. ^ Brădățeanu, Virgil (27 September 2019). "PORTRET: Sfântul Ierarh Martir Antim Ivireanul, Mitroplit al Țării Românești". Agenția de presă RADOR (in Romanian).
  9. ^ "საქართველოს ნაკრებს ანთიმოზ ივერიელის თასი პრემიერ-მინისტრმა გადასცა (VIDEO)". MyRugby.ge (in Georgian). 28 March 2021.
  10. ^ European Council conclusions on Ukraine, enlargement and reforms, European Council, 14 December 2023