Georgia’s EU integration

Georgian vulnerability to the EU’s uncertain future

By | March 28th, 2017|Categories: Opinion|Tags: , , , |

Tatia Dolidze is Georgia’s Youth Representative to the United Nations. As the EU is experiencing the greatest identity crisis in its 60 years of existence, it is important to remember that  European integration is a history of crises and compromises. The current crisis is a good chance for the EU to address its democratic deficit, […]

Georgian government meets EU commissioners May 21

By | May 20th, 2014|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , |

President of the EU Commission José Manuel Barroso. (Europe Diplomatic Magazine.) TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian government will meet with EU commissioners in Brussels on May 21. First Deputy Foreign Minister Davit Zalkaliani says this is the first time such a meeting is being held. “This is an unprecedented format in EU-Georgia relations, which […]

Georgia signs on to many new EU programs

By | December 13th, 2013|Categories: Europe, News|Tags: , , |

Foreign Minister of Georgia, Maia Panjikidze, and Foreign Minister of Lithuania, Linas Linkevičius. (Photo published on Facebook.) TBILISI, DFWatch–Georgia Thursday signed a protocol with the EU about participating in several programs within health care, science, culture and business. The signing took place in Brussels and was carried out by Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius and […]

Georgia to sign Association Agreement with EU by spring

By | September 9th, 2013|Categories: News|Tags: |

Georgia’s Prime Minister meets with the Polish Foreign Affairs Minister (official photo) TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says Georgia will sign an Association Agreement with the EU ‘by spring’, according […]

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EU Day marked in Georgia

By | May 10th, 2013|Categories: Europe, News|Tags: |

The city authorities in Tbilisi celebrated EU Day Thursday. (Photo published by Mayor Gigi Ugulava.) TBILISI, DFWatch–May 9, “EU Day” was observed in its member countries. Also in Georgia, which is not a member, the day was celebrated with cultural events. A concert was held in Tbilisi by the initiative of the mayor. Diplomats and national minorities, as […]

EU rewards Georgia’s reforms with €22 million

By | December 19th, 2012|Categories: Europe, News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch — EU is giving another €22 million to Georgia this year in recognition of its reform efforts. Stefan Fule, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy, on Wednesday attended the EU-Georgia Cooperation Council in Brussels. […]

Borisov to Saakashvili: Bulgaria backs Georgia’s EU approach

By | April 2nd, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Bulgaria expresses its full support for Georgia’s integration process towards NATO and the EU. Boyko Borisov, Bulgarian Prime Minister, said this Sunday during a meeting with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. Specifically Borisov said his […]

Bosporus doesn’t divide, Bosporus unites

By | March 6th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch – Where exactly does Europe end and Asia start? Some say it’s the Likhi mountain range, which separates Georgia’s western and eastern parts. Regardless of how Europe’s geographical extent is measured, the cultural connection to Europe has long been a […]

EU to discuss visa action plan with Georgia

By | February 29th, 2012|Categories: In brief, News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch – EU foreign ministers have issued a paper setting out to integrate Georgia more in the Union. The paper is a broad review of relations between Georgia and the EU and the country’s security. It notes that there has been progress in the Eastern […]

Georgians want to be member of EU, not move there

By | January 17th, 2012|Categories: News|Tags: |

TBILISI, DFWatch - A new poll shows Georgians expect EU membership reasonably soon, but that very few want to seek employment in other European countries. Compared to 2009, a slightly larger majority think Georgia will become a member of the European Union within ten years. A third think this will happen within the next [...]

Don’t mention the lawyers

By | November 19th, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - 123 lawyers have been put in jail the last 7 years, and tell horrific stories of beatings and rape. But EU parliamentarians Thursday decided not to mention the lawyers in their criticism of Georgia. Krzysztof Lisek, speaker of the European Parliament on Georgia issues, was in Tbilisi Friday discussing the latest resolution with [...]

PM: Georgia doesn’t need EU integration yet

By | November 18th, 2011|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

TBILISI, DFWatch - Georgia’s Prime Minister Nika Gilauri thinks that under today’s conditions, Georgia doesn’t need to be integrated with the European Union. There are negotiations with the EU now about a free trade agreement, and Georgia ‘is hoping for visa liberalization agreement and free trade agreement’. “For now EU is not ready to accept new [...]