Tbilisi. Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili, will attend
an expanded congress of the European People's Party (EPP), which is due in
Austria's capital - Vienna - Georgian President's Administration reported on
Thursday.
"Georgian President, Mikheil
Saakashvili, has left on a working visit to Vienna, where, on the invitation of
the EPP President, Wilfried Martens, he will attend the expanded party
congress. European leaders, heads of states and representatives of various
international organizations will also participate in congress," the report
reads.
According to the media reports, the EPP
congress participants will discuss the agenda of the upcoming European
Commission session, scheduled for the end of June. In particular, the ways for
overcoming consequences of the financial crisis in the EU countries. Austrian
Vice-Chancellor, Michael Spindelegger; German Chancellor, Angela Merkel and the
European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, are among the EPP congress
participants.
The European People's Party (EPP) is a
centre-right European Political Party.
The EPP was founded in 1976 by Christian-Democrats, but later it
increased its membership to include conservative parties and parties of other
centre-right perspectives. The EPP is the most influential of the European
parties. It has been the largest party in the European Parliament since 1999, the European Council since 2002 and is also by far the largest
party in the current European Commission.
Saakashvili-led United National Movement
is a member of the European People's Party since 2008. Traditionally, leaders and heads of
government of European countries participate in EPP summits.