BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 13
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
The institutions of the European Union (EU) should continue to ensure that pro-European countries, including Georgia, see the EU as their ultimate goal, Trend reports via the article by Paul L. Vandoren, former EU Ambassador to Croatia and former acting EU Ambassador to the Russian Federation, published in the independent media network Euractiv.
“Georgia has an unequivocally pro-European (and pro-NATO) government, whose leaders have made no secret of their desire to join both of those exclusive Western clubs”, the author of the article notes.
The article further reads that 80 percent of Georgians are supporting the idea of joining both the EU and NATO.
"EU is Georgia’s largest donor and strongest partner. In 2016, an ambitious Association Agreement entered into force between the EU and Georgia," the author stressed.
This is an act of geopolitical significance for Georgia, affirming its European identity and its strategic foreign policy priority of developing closer ties with the EU, Paul. L. Vandoren writes.
As the author claims, Brussels must continue to ensure that countries such as Georgia see the EU as their ultimate goal. The author of the article also offers the EU the outline of the next steps and states that the first step should be to publicly support the country and recognize its achievements.
“Georgia currently sits 7th in the annual 'Ease of Doing Business' rankings (above 26 of the 27 EU member states); 12th in the Heritage Global Index of Economic Freedom; and the government has cut poverty by 50 percent as the poor have benefited considerably from the Government’s social policies and new economic opportunities, according to the World Bank”, Paul L. Vandoren writes.
It is also noted that support for Georgia should continue even after the coronavirus crisis.
“This support for Georgia must continue after the current crisis has passed”, the author of the article concludes.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356