Bali. The Bali Provincial Government is prepared to assist the Government of Georgia in establishing an honorary consulate in Bali.

This commitment was conveyed by Bali Governor Wayan Koster during a meeting with Georgia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Tornike Nozadze, who shared the challenges faced by Georgian citizens in Bali due to the absence of an honorary consulate, on Thursday.

“Thank you for Ambassador Nozadze’s visit. I will do my best to help and assign someone to find a suitable location to support the plan to establish Georgia’s honorary consulate in Bali,” the governor said.

Governor Koster expressed hope that this support would open many opportunities for cooperation between Georgia and Bali, particularly in culture, tourism, and investment. One of the local products introduced by the provincial government was arak Bali, a traditional Balinese alcoholic beverage, which Koster presented to the Georgian ambassador.

As a symbol of friendship, Tornike Nozadze presented a bottle of Georgia’s signature wine, Chateau Mukhrani. The exchange was seen as both a gesture of respect and a cultural bridge between Bali and Georgia.

Ambassador Nozadze expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage in dialogue with the regional government in Bali, using the moment to highlight the need for establishing an honorary consulate on the island.

He admitted that he had long awaited the opportunity to meet the Governor of Bali to discuss such cooperation. Many Georgian citizens reside in Bali, and several Georgian businesses have already been established on the island, particularly in the construction and restaurant sectors.

Nozadze further noted that in recent months, investment forums and business meetings had already paved the way for partnerships. However, the main challenge remains that hundreds of thousands of Georgian nationals traveling to and from Bali face difficulties communicating with their country’s representatives due to the absence of an honorary consulate.

While he acknowledged that not all embassies have honorary consulates, Nozadze stressed that establishing one in Bali is crucial. He recorded that more than 300,000 Georgians have been in Bali in recent months and therefore requested the governor’s recommendation on the matter.

Expressing gratitude for Governor Koster’s assistance, Ambassador Nozadze conveyed deep appreciation and admitted he remains impressed by Bali despite having visited the Island of the Gods four times. He believes Bali is a valuable treasure for Indonesia and is already well known among the Georgian people.