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DEVELOPMENT

Denmark increases support to Georgia

"Good measures should be rewarded," the development minister said as he announced that the former Soviet republic of Georgia can look forward to a fivefold increase in support from Denmark.

Denmark increases support to Georgia
People wave Georgian and European flags during celebrations for the signing of an association agreement with the EU on June 27th. Photo: David Mdzinarishvili/Scanpix
Following the EU's Association Agreement signed with former Soviet republics Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova last week, Denmark has announced a steep increase in financial support to Georgia.
 
The trade and development minister, Mogens Jensen, said on Wednesday that Denmark would increase its financial contributions to Georgia from the current five million kroner ($916,000) to 25 million kroner ($4.6 million) per year.
 
This comes just days after the three eastern countries signed a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) agreement with the EU. The free-trade and political cooperation agreement with the EU were widely seen as a historic shift away from Russia. 
 
“Georgia, like Ukraine and Moldova, sent an important signal on Friday that it wants tighter bonds with the EU,” Jensen said in a statement. “Georgia is on the verge of implementing a series of important reforms, strengthening its democracy, pushing forward private sector development and reforming the public sector in accordance with EU laws. And good measures should be rewarded, therefore I find it natural to increase support to Georgia.”
 
With the increase, Denmark has made Georgia a priority country in a development programme, Naboskabsprogrammet 2013-17, that focuses on countries east of the EU. The seven priority countries are Ukraine, Georgia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Belarus and Moldova.

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UKRAINE

Germany to support defence of Polish airspace

Germany on Monday said it had reached an agreement to help Poland protect its skies following a deadly rocket strike close to the border with Ukraine.

Germany to support defence of Polish airspace

Berlin would “send Patriot anti-aircraft systems to Poland and support the securing of Polish airspace with Eurofighter (jets)”, Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht said in a statement.

READ ALSO: Germany to buy F-35 fighter jets in military shopping spree

Two people were killed last week when a missile landed in the Polish village of Przewodow, six kilometres (four miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Warsaw and NATO have said the explosion was likely caused by a Ukrainian air-defence missile launched to intercept a Russian barrage, but that Moscow was ultimately to blame because it started the conflict.

Before the deal was agreed, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said he “welcomed the German proposal with satisfaction”.

Blaszczak said on Twitter he would propose for the systems to be “stationed close to the border with Ukraine”.

Germany has already sent Patriot anti-aircraft units to Slovakia, where Berlin hopes to keep them deployed for longer than currently planned.

The air-defence systems should remain in Slovakia “until the end of 2023 and potentially even beyond”, Lambrecht told the Rheinische Post daily.

“It is our utmost responsibility that NATO does not become a participant in this conflict,” while strengthening its air defences, she said.

READ ALSO: Germany and Spain to train Ukraine troops under EU programme

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