Georgia's European Way twelfth edition - საქართველოს ევროპული გზა მეთორმეტე პერიოდული გამოცემა

საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

GEORGIA’S EUROPEAN WAY № 12 / 07 / 2017

This publication was financed by the EU-Funded Facility for the Implementation of the Association Agreement in Georgia

საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

Georgia's European Way

saqarTvelos saxelmwifo ministris aparati evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration

Content

სარჩევი მიმართვა 06

ვიქტორ დოლიძე

06

Address

Victor Dolidze

გიორგი კვირიკაშვილი 08

Giorgi Kvirikashvili

08

მაროშ შევჩოვიჩი 10

Maroš Šefčovič

10

საქართველო და ევროკავშირი 11

ევროპა ჩვენი საერთო მომავალია

Georgia and EU

11

„ვიშეგრადის ოთხეული“ მხარს უჭერს 16 „აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის“ ქვეყნებისთვის ევროპული პერსპექტივის მინიჭებას

Europe Is Our Common Future The Visegrad Group (V4) Supports the European Perspective of the Eastern Partnership Countries

16

საპარლამენტო კონტროლის მნიშვნელობა 20 ასოცირების შესახებ შეთანხმებით ნაკისრი ვალდებულებების ეფექტიანად შესრულებისთვის

Significance of Parliamentary Control for the Effective Implementation of Association Agreement Obligations

20

საქართველო და ესტონეთი – ერთიანი 24 ევროპული ფასეულობების მქონე სახელმწიფოების გაძლიერებული პარტნიორობა

Georgia and Estonia Increasing Partnership of Two States United by Shared European Values

24

ესტონეთი და საქართველო 27 ევროპულ გზაზე

27

Estonia and Georgia on the European Way

ნატოს საპარლამენტო ასამბლეა: 28 26-29 მაისი, თბილისი

28

NATO Parliamentary Assembly, 26-29 May, Tbilisi

საქართველო და ნატო 30

30

Georgia and NATO

ნატო-საქართველოს სახალხო 34 დიპლომატიის ფორუმი

34

NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum

38

Communicating Visa Free

საქართველო – ნატოს ფასეული და საიმედო პარტნიორი

სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია 38

საინფორმაციო კამპანია უვიზო მიმოსვლასთან დაკავშირებით

40 44

წინაპრების კვალდაკვალ 40

48

ევროპის დღეები 2017 44

52

ნატოს დღეები საქართველოში 48 საქართველოს რეგიონების ადგილობრივი 52 თვითმმართველობების წარმომადგენელთა ვიზიტი ბრიუსელში

54

Georgia – NATO’s Valuable and Reliable Partner

Strategic Communication

Following Footsteps of Ancestors Europe Days 2017 NATO Days in Georgia

Georgian Local Government Officials Meet NATO and EU Representatives in Brussels

Tourism

Batumi - European City on the Black Sea Coast

ტურიზმი 54

ბათუმი – ევროპული ქალაქი შავიზღვისპირეთში

კულტურა

ნუ გამოვტოვებთ აბრებს ანუ დიუმას ნაკვალევზე

60

Culture

Pay Attention to the Signs or in the Footsteps of Dumas

60

მზე დასავლეთიდან ამოდის 62

62 66

The Sun Rises in the West Competition “Express Europe”

კონკურსი „გა-მოხატე ევროპა~ 66

04

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

05

Address | მიმართვა

Address | მიმართვა

saredaqcio sabWo: mariam raqviaSvili evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saqarTvelos saxelmwifo ministris moadgile zurab qarumiZe politikis analizis, strategiuli dagegmvisa da koordinaciis departamentis, sagareo urTierTobaTa samsaxuris pirveli mrCeveli, saqarTvelos mTavrobis administracia laSa tuRuSi aRmosavleT partniorobis samoqalaqo sazogadoebis saqarTvelos erovnuli platformis Tavmjdomare ivane CxikvaZe evrointegraciis mimarTulebis menejeri, fondi `Ria sazogadoeba _ saqarTvelo~ Tornike nozaZe evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saqarTvelos saxelmwifo ministris aparatis strategiuli komunikaciis departamentis ufrosi ana CixraZe evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saqarTvelos saxelmwifo ministris aparatis strategiuli komunikaciis departamentis mTavari specialisti gansakuTrebuli madloba: Tamar miqaZe saqarTveloSi evrokavSiris warmomadgenlobis politikisa da presis ganyofilebis TanamSromeli Editorial Board Mariam Rakviashvili Deputy State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Zurab Karumidze First Advisor, Foreign Relations Unit, Department of Political Analysis, Strategic Planning and Coordination the Administration of the Government of Georgia Lasha Tugushi Head of Georgian Civil Society National Platform for the Eastern Partnership Ivane Chkhikvadze EU Integration Field Manager Open Society Georgia Foundation Tornike Nozadze Head of Strategic Communication Department of the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ana Chikhradze Chief Specialist of Strategic Communication Department of the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Special thanks to: Tamar Mikadze Press and Information Officer at the Political and Press Section of the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia Printed by "Cezanne Ltd." ISSN: 1987-8486 This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union.

The contents are the sole responsibility of organizers, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

06

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

ვიქტორ დოლიძე ევროპულ და ევროატლანტიკურ სტრუქტურებში ინტეგრაციის საკითხებში საქართველოს სახელმწიფო მინისტრი

Victor Dolidze The State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration

Zvirfaso mkiTxvelo! winamdebare Jurnalis nomeri eZRvneba baTumis rigiT me-14 saerTaSoriso konferencias _ „saqarTvelos evropuli gza _ regionuli stabilurobis uzrunvelyofa“, romelic 2007 wlidan, tradiciulad, evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saqarTvelos saxelmwifo ministris aparatis organizebiT imarTeba.

konferenciaSi monawileoben evrokavSirisa da „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ wevri qveynebis institutebisa da saqarTvelos aRmasrulebeli da sakanonmdeblo xelisuflebis maRali rangis saxelmwifo moxeleebi, aseve arasamTavrobo organizaciebisa da bizneswreebis warmomadgenlebi. wels konferencia eZRvneba iseT mniSvnelovan sakiTxebs, rogorebicaa: saqarTvelosa da evropis energousafrTxoeba, saqarTvelo-evrokavSiris asocirebis SeTanxmebisa da misi komponentis, Rrma da yovlismomcveli Tavisufali sivrcis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebis amoqmedeba, geopolitikuri situacia evrokavSirSi da usafrTxoebis gamowvevebi mis aRmosavleT samezobloSi; TanamSromlobis axali sferoebi evrokavSirsa da mis asocirebul partniorebs Soris, savizo reJimis liberalizaciis, strategiuli komunikaciis, biznesisa da sainvesticio SesaZleblobebis xelSewyoba.

Dear Reader, This issue is dedicated to the 14th Annual Batumi International Conference "Georgia's European Way – ENSURING REGIONAL STABILITY", traditionally organised by the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

The Conference welcomes high-level officials from the European Union, the institutions of the Eastern Partnership countries, Georgia’s executive and legislative branches, as well as NGOs and business circles.

This year, the Conference will focus on some of the key topics of the EU and Georgia including: energy security, implementation of the Association Agreement and its integral Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) component; the geopolitical situation in the EU and security challenges in its Eastern neighborhood and new forms of cooperation between the EU and its associated partner countries such as the visa liberalisation process, strategic communications and enhancement of business and investment opportunities.

I am confident that Georgia will continue to advance on its path toward European and Euro-Atlantic integration!

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

07

Address | მიმართვა

Address | მიმართვა Giorgi Kvirikashvili Prime Minister of Georgia

T

his March, with a group of Georgian students and members of the Government, I travelled to Athens and Brussels. This was the first visa-free entry of Georgian citizens into the Schengen Area.

We chose Athens, the cradle of the European civilization, and Brussels, the current capital of Europe as the perfect places to start. Georgia has been re-united with the family it has belonged to for centuries, a reunion long dreamed of.

This reunion has become possible thanks to the help of our European partners and friends, the reforms devotedly implemented by Georgian governments for the last 25 years, and, most importantly, the historical will of the people of Georgia to be a member of the European community of nations. Yes, this is about common civilizational values, human values and cultural experience which Georgia shares with European nations.

Today, Georgia is committed more than ever before to take forward its ambitious EU-Georgia agenda. With the visa-free regime in place, we have already made an important step forward on our European integration path. This milestone gives promising impetus to the Government’s efforts to continue comprehensive reforms and to bring the country as close to the EU as possible. Nevertheless, we also need a strong political incentive from the EU to keep the momentum moving forward. In this regard, we believe that the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels will ensure a forward-looking vision and offer progressive relations to the partnership members based on their individual merits and interests.

გიორგი კვირიკაშვილი საქართველოს პრემიერ-მინისტრი

w

els, martSi, qarTvel studentebsa da mTavrobis wevrebTan erTad, aTensa da briuselSi gaxldiT. saqarTvelos moqalaqeebma Sengenis zonis qveynebSi pirvelad imogzaures uvizod. aTeni SevarCieT rogorc evropuli civilizaciis akvani, xolo briuseli _ rogorc Tanamedrove evropis dedaqalaqi. es mogzauroba gaxda erTgvari simbolo saqarTvelos evropul ojaxSi dabrunebisa, razec saukuneebis ganmavlobaSi ocnebobda yvela qarTveli. es dabruneba Cveni evropeli partniorebisa da megobrebis Zalisxmevisa da bolo aTwleulebSi saqarTvelos xelisuflebis mier ganxorcielebuli reformebis Sedegia da, rac yvelaze mniSvnelovania, ganpirobebulia Tavad qarTveli xalxis istoriuli da civilizaciuri arCevaniT, gamxdariyo erTa evropuli Tanamegobrobis wevri. swored civilizaciuri da humanisturi Rirebulebebi da kulturuli memkvidreobaa is, rac saqarTvelos akavSirebs evropul erebTan. dRes saqarTvelo mzad aris, da aqvs ambicia, rom metad dauaxlovdes evrokavSirs da Cveni urTierToba ki-

08

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

dev ufro mWidro gaxdes. uvizo reJimis amoqmedebiT, Cven didi nabiji gadavdgiT win evropuli integraciis gzaze. es aris mniSvnelovani movlena, romelic axal stimuls aZlevs mTavrobas, rom kidev ufro aqtiurad gaagrZelos fundamenturi reformebi da saqarTvelo maqsimalurad dauaxloos evrokavSirs. da yvelafris miuxedavad, Cven mainc gvWirdeba Zlieri politikuri gzavnili evrokavSiris mxridan, raTa procesma Seuqcevadi saxe miiRos. mjera, rom briuselSi dagegmili aRmosavleT partniorobis samiti mkafiod gansazRvravs samomavlo xedvas da partnior qveynebs SemogvTavazebs urTierTobis iseT models, romliTac evrokavSirTan daaxloeba calkeuli qveynis warmatebasa da interesebze iqneba damokidebuli. minda gavixseno CemTvis gansakuTrebiT Zvirfasi qarTveli moRvawe, mwerali, diplomati da leqsikografi sulxan-saba orbeliani, romelmac 300 wlis win imogzaura parizsa da romSi da lui XIV-sa da romis paps saqarTvelos dacva da evropul samyaroSi miReba sTxova. im dros, istoriuli garemoebebidan gamomdinare, es

daaxloeba ver moxerxda. dRes, rodesac mtkicea Cveni eris neba da evrokavSiric Zalisxmevas ar iSurebs, saqarTvelom ar unda dakargos evropis politikur da kulturul sivrceSi dabrunebis Sansi. rodesac umberto ekos hkiTxes, Tu romelia evropis umTavresi ena, man upasuxa, rom es ena aris Targmani. saqarTvelo dasavluri da aRmosavluri kulturebis gzagasayarze mdebareobs, albaT, amitomacaa, ase kargad rom movirgeT kulturuli Suamavlis roli da, Sesabamisad, SesaniSnavad viciT evropis umTavresi ena. dabolos, minda, guliTadad mivesalmo baTumis me-14 saerTaSoriso konferenciis _ „saqarTvelos evropuli gzis“ monawileebs. yovelwliurad aTobiT cnobili eqsperti, samecniero wreebis warmomadgenlebi, politikosebi da sajaro moxeleebi ikribebian qalaq baTumSi, raTa evropisa da misi samezoblos gamowvevebsa da miRwevebze imsjelon. sasixaruloa, rom es forumi evropisa da evroatlantikuri sivrcis axal ideebze msjelobis adgilad iqca. mouTmenlad veli diskusiebis dawyebas da gisurvebT saintereso da sasiamovno STabeWdilebebiT dabrunebas.

Here, I cannot avoid mentioning one of my favorite Georgian intellectuals, a writer, a diplomat and a lexicographer Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani, who more than 300 years ago travelled to Paris and Rome, entreating Louis the 14th and the Pope to shelter Georgia and incorporate it into the European world. It was not to be, on that occasion. But today we have both - the strong will of the nation and opportunities from the EU – and this momentum for Georgia to re-embrace the European political and cultural space should not be wasted. Umberto Eco, when asked to name the main language of Europe, said that translation was the language of Europe. Historically, Georgia has been culturally shuttling between East and West, translating these diverse cultures. We are accomplished cultural translators, therefore we are fluent in the main European language.

Lastly, I would like to warmly welcome the participants of the 14th Batumi International Conference “Georgia’s European Way”. Every year, dozens of renowned pundits, academics, and policymakers come together in the beautiful city of Batumi to talk about the latest challenges and opportunities for Europe and its neighbors. I am glad that throughout these years this forum has establish itself as an important stage for promoting and forging new, encompassing narratives for the future of Europe and the Euro-Atlantic community.

I very much look forward to the engaging discussions ahead and wish you all an enriching and memorable experience.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

09

Address | მიმართვა

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

მაროშ შევჩოვიჩი ევროკომისიის ენერგეტიკული კავშირის ვიცე-პრეზიდენტი

Maroš Šefčovič Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for Energy Union

S

eqmnis dRidanve, energokavSiris mizania gascdes Tavis sazRvrebs. igi afarToebs gadawyvetilebis miRebis CarCos da aerTianebs evrokavSiris politikas klimatis, garemos, energetikis, transportis, samomxmareblo uflebebis, vaWrobisa da sxva sakiTxebis Sesaxeb. igi arRvevs fsiqologiur da teqnologiur sazRvrebs, aTavisuflebs Cvens centralizebul, dazianebul da dabalteqnologiur azrovnebas Zveli energiisgan da cvlis mas axali, decentralizebuli, sufTa da maRalteqnologiuri samyaroTi. da bolos, is gadakveTs fizikur sazRvrebs. es exeba ara mxolod evrokavSiris wevr saxelmwifoebs, aramed Cvens partnior da mezobel qveynebsac, gansakuTrebiT samxreT-aRmosavleTiT, da gansakuTrebiT im farglebSi, rasac Cven energetikul Tanamegobrobas vuwodebT. saqarTvelo Cveni Tanamegobrobis axali wevria da sul male srulad miiRebs yvelanair sargebels. es is procesia, romelic jer kidev 2014 wels daiwyo da sadacaa dasruldeba. ras niSnavs es praqtikaSi? sakmaod bevrs. evrokavSiris kanonmdeblobasTan daaxloebiT, saqarTvelos SeeZleba investiciebis martivad mozidva, xeli Seewyoba gamartivebul transsasazRvro vaWrobas, gaZlierdeba miwodebis usafrTxoeba, gaizrdeba konkurencia, moimatebs haerSi Jangbadis maCvenebeli da xarisxi. moxaruli var, rom evrokavSiri da saqarTvelo Semdgomi TanamSromlobis gzas adganan. energetika aris erT-erTi dargi im farTo arealidan, romelSic erTmaneTis gverdigverd vmuSaobT. evrokavSirsa da saqarTvelos Soris asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebam, romelsac 2014 wels movawereT xeli, Zlieri biZgi misca amgvar TanamSromlobas da misi masStabis gafarToeba ganapiroba. amJamad Cven vagrZelebT muSaobas vaWrobis gasaZliereblad, saqarTvelos saerTaSorisod aRiarebuli sazRvrebis dasacavad, adamianis uflebebisa da kanonis uzenaesobis gansamtkiceblad da a. S. urTierTTanamSromlobis farglebSi, mWidrod vTanamSromlobT ara marto saqarTvelos xelisuflebasTan, aramed profkavSirebTan, biznesasociaciebTan da samoqalaqo sazogadoebasTan, moqalaqeebTan. darwmunebuli var, evrokavSiri-saqarTvelos urTierTobebi kvlav warmatebiT ganviTardeba da orive mxares moutans sargebels.

10

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

F

rom its inception, the Energy Union was designed to transcend borders. It removes decision-making boundaries and brings together EU policies on climate, environment, energy, transport, consumer rights, trade and more. It crosses psychological and technological borders, redirecting our perspectives from old forms of energy which were centralised, pollutant, and low-tech, to the new decentralised, clean and high-tech alternatives. Finally, it crosses physical borders by engaging with partners and neighbors, especially to the south-east, in what is known as the Energy Community Georgia is a new member of the Energy Community and will soon take full advantage of its benefits. Its membership process started in 2014 and will soon conclude. What does this mean in practice? Quite a lot. By aligning with EU legislation, Georgia will benefit from being able to attract investment more easily, from facilitating cross-border trade, from enhancing its security of supply, from boosting competition, and from improving the quality of its air.

I am delighted that the EU and Georgia are set to tighten their cooperation. Energy is one field of many where we work closely together. The EU-Georgia Association Agreement, signed in 2014, propelled and expanded the scope of this kind of cooperation. We are now working together on numerous issues including reinforcing trade, defending the international recognition of Georgia's borders, enhancing human rights and the rule of law. As part of our cooperation, we work closely with the Georgian authorities as well as trade unions, business associations, civil society, and citizens.

I have no doubt that EU-Georgian relations will continue to flourish, benefiting both sides in the process.

EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee Forth Meeting, European Parliament 16 February Strasburg ევროკავშირი-საქართველოს საპარლამენტო ასოცირების კომიტეტის მეოთხე სხდომა, ევროპარლამენტი, 16 თებერვალი, სტრასბურგი

ევროპა ჩვენი საერთო მომავალია

თამარ ხულორდავა საქართველოს პარლამენტის ევროპასთან ინტეგრაციის კომიტეტის თავმჯდომარე

Europe Is Our Common Future Tamar Khulordava Chairperson of the Committee on European Integration of the Parliament of Georgia

s

aerTo evropuli momavlis xedviT da mSvidobis, ganviTarebisa da keTildReobis uzrunvelsayofad, 60 wlis win xeli moewera romis xelSekrulebas, Seiqmna evropis ekonomikuri Tanamegobroba da safuZveli Caeyara Tanamedrove evrokavSirs. evrokavSiris udidesi miRweva swored qveynebis saerTo faseulobebis garSemo gaerTiane-

I

nspired by a common vision of a European future,the Treaty of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community, was signed 60 years ago aspiring to ensure peace, development and welfare, laying the foundation for today’s European Union. The European Union’s greatest asset is its ability to unite nations bound by shared values and its capacity to integrate in such a way that each member state remains unique, while contributing to the accumula-

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

11

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი bisa da integraciis imgvari SesaZleblobis Seqmnaa, roca TiToeuli wevri saxelmwifo inarCunebs sakuTar gansxvavebulobas da Tavisi wvlili Seaqvs saerTo simdidrisa da Zlierebis SeqmnaSi. evrokavSiris devizi _ „erToba mravalferovnebiT“ swored am principis gamoxatulebaa. saqarTvelos evropuli arCevani ualternativoa. es aris arCevani, romelic politikur preferenciebTan, romelime erT politikur jgufTan ar aris dakavSirebuli. es qarTveli xalxis istoriuli arCevania, romelic am sakiTxze Catarebuli araerTi kvlevis SedegebiT dadasturda.

2016 wlis 29 dekembers Cveni arCevani saqarTvelos parlamentma asaxa sagareo politikuri kursis Sesaxeb rezoluciaSi, romelic miRebulia mravalpartiuli mxardaWeriT. es politikuri dokumenti mkafiod ayalibebs sagareo politikis orientirebs da acxadebs, rom „evropis kavSiris Sesaxeb xelSekrulebis 49-e muxlis safuZvelze qveyana evrokavSiris wevrobisken iswrafvis“. axla droa, arCevani vaqcioT Sedegad; realobad vaqcioT miswrafeba _ davubrundeT evropul saxelmwifoTa ojaxs.

2014 wels evrokavSirTan asocirebis xelSekrulebis gaformebiT daiwyo evrokavSirTan urTierTobis axali, sruliad gansxvavebuli faza. es ar aris mxolod daxmarebasa da humanitarul mosazrebebze dafuZnebuli urTierToba; es aris urTierToba Tanaswor partniorebs Soris, romelsac sargebeli orive mxarisTvis moaqvs. es aris TanamSromloba saerTo faseulobebis aRiarebiT da saerTo miznebis misaRwevad. asocirebis SeTanxmebis xelmowera, Rrma da yovlismomcveli Tavisufali savaWro sivrcis komponentis CaTvliT, udavod mniSvnelovani etapia Cveni evropuli integraciis gzaze. es aris Cveni xalxis arCevanis realobad qcevis ara dasasruli, aramed mxolod dasawyisi. swored SeTanxmebis xelmoweris Semdeg iwyeba saerTo prioritetebis Sesrulebis, saqarTvelos kanonmdeblobis evrokavSiris samarTalTan etapobrivi daaxloebisa da instituciuri reformebis urTulesi procesi. am procesSi umniSvnelovanesia saqarTvelos parlamentis roli. amasTan, swored aqtiuri saparlamento zedamxedveloba uzrunvelyofs evrokavSirTan asocirebis SeTanxmebiT gaTvaliswinebuli prioritetebis droul da efqtian ganxorcielebas.

2016 weli mniSvnelovani iyo am ramdenime aseulmuxliani SeTanxmebis amoqmedebis, saqarTvelos evrokavSirTan politikuri asocirebisa da ekonomikuri integraciisTvis pirobebis Seqmnis TvalsazrisiT. 2017 wlis martSi sabolood gaformda gadawyvetileba saqarTvelos moqalaqeebisTvis Sengenis zonaSi uvizo gadaadgilebis uflebis miniWebis Sesaxeb. es warmateba mravalwlianma Tavdauzogavma muSaobam moitana. uvizo mimosvla evrokavSiris saxelmwifoebTan saqarTvelos metad daaxloebisken gadadgmuli realuri nabijia. miRweuli Sedegi yovelTvis Tavis-

12

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი tion of common wealth and resilience. The motto of the European Union, United in Diversity, is amanifestation of this very principle.

Georgia’s European choice has no alternative. It is a choice that is independent of any specific political preferences, or any specific political group. This is a historical choice of the people of Georgia,as confirmed by several surveys conducted on the matter.

The Parliament of Georgia reflected our choice in the Resolution on Foreign Policy of Georgia adopted on December 29, 2016 with bipartisan support. This political document, adopted by the highest legislative body of the country, clearly lays out the foreign policy priorities and states that “based on Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, Georgia aspires to membership of the European Union”. Now, it is time for us to turn our choice into a result, to make our aspiration a reality by re-establishing our state within the family of European nations.

Signing the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in 2014 launched a completely new phase of EU-Georgia relations. This is not a relationship that is based solely on aid and humanitarian considerations,it is a mutually beneficial cooperation between equal partners bound by common values and striving for common goals. The signing of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area component, is an undoubtedly important milestone in the process of European integration.This is, however, merely the beginning of making our people’s choice a reality, rather than an end. It is precisely after the signing of the agreement that the complex process of accomplishing common goals, gradually approximating the Georgian legislation to European standards, and carrying out institutional reforms really gets underway.

The Parliament of Georgia plays a key role in this process.

Only an active parliamentary oversight can ensure timely and effectiveimplementation of priorities envisaged by the EU-Georgia Association Agreement.

უვიზო მიმოსვლა ევროკავშირის სახელმწიფოებთან საქართველოს მეტად დაახლოებისკენ გადადგმული რეალური ნაბიჯია.

The visa free travel is a real step towards forming closer relations with the EU Member States.

Tavadi da bunebrivi, kanonzomieri Cans, magram sul aTiode wlis win amaze mxolod ocnebas Tu bedavdnen SedarebiT optimisti meocnebeebi. evrokavSirisken swrafva ar niSnavs mxolod usafrTxoebis evropul safarqveS moqcevas. es bevrad ufro farTo cnebaa da gulisxmobs saqarTveloSi cxovrebis evropuli standartebis damkvidrebas, socialuri uzrunvelyofis evropuli simaRleebis miRwevas da Sida politikuri stabilurobis uzrunvelyofas. asocirebis SeTanxmebis mniSvnelovani nawilia evrokavSiris bazris aTvisebis SesaZleblobebi, rasac Rrma da yovlismomcveli Tavisufali savaWro sivrcis komponenti ganapirobebs. am mimarTulebiT arsebuli potenciali jer bolomde ar aris aTvisebuli, Tumca dRiTi dRe farTovdeba qarTveli mewarmeebis mier warmoebuli saqonlis evropul bazarze Sesvlisa da damkvidrebis SesaZlebloba. am mimarTulebiT arsebuli dinamika calsaxad pozitiuria. 2017 wlis ianvar -maisSi evrokavSiris qveynebSi eqsporti 40 procentiT aris gazrdili, 2016 wlis imave periodTan SedarebiT. yvelaferi unda gakeTdes am mzardi tendenciis SesanarCuneblad. paralelurad, vagrZelebT natosTan daaxloebis process. qveyanaSi mimdinare reformebi, nabijebi, romlebic idgmeba politikur cxovrebaSi demokratiis maRali standartebis dasamkvidreblad, SeumCneveli ar rCebaT Cvens dasavlel partniorebs. isini mudmivad da gansakuTrebiT aRniSnaven saqarTvelos mniSvnelovan rols globaluri usafrTxoebis uzrunvelyofaSi da adastureben natos varSavis samitze miRebul gadawyvetilebas, rom saqarTvelo aucileblad gaxdeba natos wevri. saqarTvelo CarTulia msoflios sxvadasxva cxel wertilSi mimdinare samSvidobo misiebSi. ukve didi xania, Cveni samxedroebi damsaxurebulad sargebloben saimedo partnioris saxeliT. Sors araa dro, roca saqarTvelo gaxdeba natos wevri, rac sabolood da saimedod uzrunvelyofs mis saerTaSoriso usafrTxoebas. da bolos, mjera, rom saqarTvelo aucileblad gaxdeba evrokavSiris wevri; Tu rodis, es damokidebulia imaze, ramdenad Tanamimdevrulad da warmatebiT gavagrZelebT svlas am gzaze. cxadia, Cveni mondomeba da survili aucilebelia, magram sakmarisi ar aris Cveni saboloo miznis misaRwevad.

• mniSvnelovania asocirebis SeTanxmebiT gaTvaliswinebuli valdebulebebis gegmazomieri Sesruleba imgvarad, rom uzrunvelyos cxovrebis donis ganuwyveteli zrda, evropul standartebTan etapobrivi gaTanabreba.

• regionSi arsebuli geopolitikuri gamowvevebis miuxedavad, saqarTvelom unda SeinarCunos aRmosavleT partniorobaSi liderisa da samagaliTo qveynis statusi.

• aucilebelia, vizrunoT evrokavSiris mimarT saqarTvelos moqalaqeebis pozitiuri ganwyobis Senar-

The year of 2016 was notableas the Agreement,containing several hundred articles and creating the basis for Georgia’s political association and economic integration with the EU,fully came into effect.

In March 2017, the EU decision granting visa liberalization to the citizens of Georgiaentered into force. This milestone was reached through many years of dedicated hard work.Visa-free travel is a real step towards forming closer relations with the EU Member States.

Even 10 years ago, the idea of such an accomplishment would have been dismissed as pure fantasy.

Aspiring towards the European Union means much more than crouching beneath the European safety net. This is a considerably broader move that includes introducing European standards of living, reaching European heights in terms of social security and ensuring internal political stability in Georgia.

Exploring the market of the European Union is an important part of the Association Agreement, guaranteed by its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) component. The existing potential in this regard has not yet been fully explored, although the opportunities for Georgian products are expanding daily. The trend in this regard is indisputably positive: Georgian exports to the European Union in the first quarter of 2017 increased by 40% compared to the same period in 2016. Every effort will be made to ensure that this upward trajectory continues.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

13

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

ჩვენ გვაქვს ჩვენი ევროპული პროექტის განხორციელების ამბიციური გეგმა და მიზანდასახულად მივდივართ წინ.

We have an ambitious plan for materializing our European project and we are persistent in moving forward.

Cunebaze, rom Cvens sazogadoebas esmodes, ratom viswrafviT am sivrcisken, ra konkretul sargebels viRebT dRes da ra sargebels unda velodoT momavalSi am procesisgan. am ukanasknelis misaRwevad mniSvnelovania asocirebis SeTanxmebiT gaTvaliswinebuli reformebis mimdinareobis Sesaxeb Cveni moqalaqeebis swori da drouli informireba; am procesSi saqarTvelos parlaments mniSvnelovani roli eniWeba. evrokavSirTan Cveni urTierToba qmnis axal SesaZleblobebs, romlebic srulad ar aris gamoyenebuli. evrokavSiris qveynebTan Tavisufali vaWrobiT miRebuli sargebeli jerjerobiT ver aisaxa moqalaqeTa materialur mdgomareobaze da Sesabamisad, igi verc sazogadoebriv ganwyobaze axdens dadebiT gavlenas.

• garda amisa, aranakleb mniSvnelovania sazogadoebrivi azris momzadeba evrokavSiris SigniT. unda SevZloT da evrokavSirs, masSi gaerTianebul qveynebs davanaxvoT, maTTvis ra sargeblis motana SeuZlia saqarTvelosTan TanamSromlobas. is, rom Cven saerTo momavali gvaqvs, misaRebi azri unda gaxdes evrokavSiris wevri saxelmwifoebisTvisac. seriozuli muSaobis gaweva gvmarTebs evropul sazogadoebaSi am azris damkvidrebisTvis.

21-e saukuneSi yvela procesi aCqarebulia. teqnologiuri winsvlis, adamianTa Soris komunikaciis gamartivebis wyalobiT, msoflio ganviTarebis yvela sakiTxi uswrafesad ganixileba da wydeba. manZili aRar aris gadaulaxavi barieri. xalxTa daaxloebas win veraferi aRudgeba. CvenTvis yvelaze didi gamowvevaa, fexi avuwyoT momavals da Rirseuli adgili davimkvidroT evropuli saxelmwifoebis ojaxSi. Cven gvaqvs Cveni evropuli proeqtis ganxorcielebis ambiciuri gegma da mizandasaxulad mivdivarT win. mjera, rom evropa Cveni saerTo momavalia.

14

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Simultaneously, we continue to form closer ties with NATO. The ongoing reforms in our country, and the steps taken to establish higher standards of democracy, do not go unnoticed by our Western partners. They constantly stress Georgia’s significant role in ensuring global security and affirm the decision made at the NATO Warsaw Summit statingthat Georgia will one day become a member of NATO. Georgia is involved in several peacekeeping missions in different troubled spots of the world. Our military forces now have a richly deserved reputation for reliability. The day when Georgia becomes a member of NATO, and finally and steadfastly earns its international security, is not far away.

Lastly, I believe that Georgia will become a member of the European Union. The timing of this will depend on ourconsistency and success in advancing on this path. Of course, our commitment and willingness is vital, but more is needed to achieve our ultimate goal.

• It is imperative to consistently implement all obligations prescribed in the Association Agreement, so thatconstant improvement in the quality of life and gradual approximation to European standards is ensured.

• Despite the existing geopolitical challenges in the region, Georgia has to maintain its status as a leaderand a role model among the Eastern Partnership countries.

• It is important that citizens of Georgia maintain a positive attitude towards the European Union, so that our society understands why we aspire to be a part of this circle, as well as the current and future benefits of the process of integration. To achieve this, it is important to inform our citizens about the progressbeing made in reforms stipulated in the Association Agreementin a timely and accurate manner. The Parliament of Georgia plays an important rolein this process. Our relations with the EU create new opportunities that have not yet been fully explored. The benefits of free trade with EU countries have yet to be reflected in the economic conditions of citizens of Georgia, and thus people may remain uncertain about the process of European integration until these changes.

• Public opinion within the European Union itself is no less important.

We have to be able to demonstrate to the European Union Member States the benefits of Georgia’s European integration. The EU Member States must also accept and embrace the fact that we have a common future. We will have to work hard to deliver this message suitably to European society.

In the 21st century, everything happens quickly. Due to advances in technology and communication, many issues are discussed and resolved rapidly. Distance is no longer an unsurmountable obstacle.

Our greatest challenge is to keep pace with others and to establish ourselves as a worthy member of the family of European nations.We have an ambitious plan to make real our European project and we are moving forward with determination. I believe that Europe is our common future.

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

„ვიშეგრადის ოთხეული“ მხარს უჭერს „აღმოსავლეთ პარტნიორობის“ ქვეყნებისთვის ევროპული პერსპექტივის მინიჭებას ვახტანგ მახარობლიშვილი საქართველოს საგარეო საქმეთა მინისტრის მოადგილე

The Visegrad Group (V4) supports the European perspective of the Eastern Partnership countries Vakhtang Makharoblishvili Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia

2

017 wlis 12 aprils varSavaSi „viSegradis oTxeulisa“ da „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ qveynebis sagareo saqmeTa ministrebis Sexvedra gaimarTa. am formatis Sexvedrebi ramdenime welia imarTeba da ukve karg tradiciad Camoyalibda, rac udavod viSegradis jgufis saxelmwifoebis damsaxureba da

16

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

O

n 12 April 2017, a foreign ministerial of the Visegrad Group (V4) and the Eastern Partnership was held in Warsaw.Held for several years in this format thanks to the efforts of the V4 member states, this forum is a clear demonstration of firm support for the European aspirations of the Eastern Partnership countries.

aRmosavleT evropuli partniori qveynebis evropuli miswrafebebisadmi maTi mtkice mxardaWeris dasturia. varSavaSi gamarTul Sexvedras gansakuTrebuli datvirTva hqonda 2017 wlis 24 noembers briuselSi dagegmili „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ rigiT me-5 samitisTvis mimdinare samzadisis gaTvaliswinebiT. Sesabamisad, is metad nayofieri da saqmiani iyo monawileebisTvis, romelTac SesaZlebloba hqondaT emsjelaT „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ farglebSi urTierTobebis Semdgomi gaRrmavebis gzebsa da perspeqtivebze, evrokavSirs, mis wevr saxelmwifoebsa da partnior qveynebs Soris infrastruqturuli kavSirebis ganmtkicebis konkretul iniciativebze.

Sexvedris Sedegebis TvalsazrisiT, gansakuTrebiT aRsaniSnavia „viSegradis oTxeulis“ mier miRebuli erToblivi gancxadeba, romelic calsaxad asaxavs viSegradis jgufis saxelmwifoebis interess, xeli Seuwyon aRmosavleT evropuli partniori qveynebis daaxloebas evrokavSirTan, am ukanasknelTa individualuri miswrafebebis Sesabamisad. metad sayuradReboa gancxadebis ambiciuri gzavnilebi „aRmosavleT partniorobis“, rogorc evrokavSirisTvis strategiuli mniSvnelobis mqone sagareo politikuri mimarTulebis, mxardaWerisa da dainteresebuli partniori qveynebisTvis evropuli perspeqtivis gaxsnis Sesaxeb. „viSegradis oTxeulis“ es principuli gzavnilebi mniSvnelovani faqtoria Cveni qveynisTvis, romelic iRvwis daibrunos Tavisi kuTvnili adgili saerTo evropul ojaxSi, vinaidan saqarTvelo yovelTvis iyo evropuli civilizaciis nawili da amas, upirveles yovlisa, saerTo faseulobebi ganapirobebda. am miznis misaRwevad Cven araerTi fundamenturi mniSvnelobis nabiji gadavdgiT: • evrokavSirTan gavaformeT asocirebis SeTanxmeba, romelic srulad moqmedebs 2016 wlis 1 ivlisidan da qveyanaSi evropuli transformaciisa da modernizaciis procesis realur samarTlebriv CarCos warmoadgens; • kompleqsuri reformebis gatarebis Sedegad dRes Cveni moqalaqeebi uvizod mogzauroben Sengenis sivrceSi; • evropuli standartebis danergviT Cveni produqcia Tavisuflad, sabaJo tarifisa da raodenobrivi SezRudvebis gareSe Sedis evrokavSiris bazarze da Rirseul konkurencias uwevs sxva qveynebis nawarms; Sedegad, winaswari monacemebiT, 2017 wlis pirvel 5 TveSi (ianvari-maisi) saqarTvelos sagareo savaWro brunvam evrokavSiris qveynebTan 1,090.5 mln. aSS dolari Seadgina, rac wina wlis Sesabamis maCvenebelze 15,3 procentiT metia; • 1 ivlisidan saqarTvelo gaxdeba evropuli energetikuli gaerTianebis sruluflebiani xelSemkvreli mxare, rac evrokavSirTan integraciisken gadadgmuli kidev erTi seriozuli nabijia; • mizanmimarTuli reformebis politikis Sedegad Cven vaRrmavebT TanamSromlobas evrokavSirTan iseT strategiul dargebSi, rogorebicaa: energetika da

Preparing for the Fifth Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels on 24 November 2017, the Warsaw meeting proved especially valuable, productive, and constructive as its participants were able to discuss ways and prospects of deeper relations under the Eastern Partnership and concrete initiatives to strengthen infrastructural ties between the European Union, its Member States and its partner countries.

The Joint Statement of the Visegrad Group deserves a special mention in that it clearly reflects the devotion of the V4 member states in promoting further harmonizationof Eastern European partners with the European Union.Importantly, the statement contains ambitious messages about supporting the Eastern Partnership as a strategically important foreign policy initiativeof the EU and about offering European prospects to stakeholder partners.

These strong messages coming from the Visegrad Group hold special importance for our country in its efforts to reclaim its due place in the common European family, because Georgia has always been part of European civilization and shared common European values.

To this end, we have taken a number of fundamental steps: • We have signed the Association Agreement with the EU, with its full enactment on 1 July 2016 providing an effective legal framework for the country’s European transformation and modernization.

• Following complex reforms, today Georgian citizens enjoy visafree travel to the Schengen Area.

• By introducing European standards, Georgian goods, which are now exported to the EU marketfreely, tariff-free, and in unlimited amounts, have proved worthy competitors to other countries’ products. Consequently, preliminary statistics show that, in the first five months of 2017, Georgia’s foreign trade turnover with the EU Member States reachedUSD 1,090.5 million, marking a 15.3% year-on-year increase.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

17

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი transporti, komunikaciebi da infrastruqtura, rac kidev ufro zrdis Cveni qveynis satranzito funqcias; • rogorc aqtiuri kontributori saerTaSoriso usafrTxoebis xelSewyobis procesSi da evrokavSiris sando partniori, saqarTvelo 2014 wlidan warmatebiT monawileobs evrokavSiris krizisis marTvis operaciebSi. saqarTvelo-evrokavSiris urTierTobebi arasodes yofila aseTi mWidro da nayofieri. miRweuli progresi qmnis karg safuZvels, rom es urTierTobebi kidev ufro ganvamtkicoT da gavaRrmaoT. am TvalsazrisiT veliT, rom „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ samiti qmediT wvlils Seitans saqarTvelos evrointegraciis procesSi da mas axal impulss SesZens.

2016 wlis dekemberSi evrokavSiris mier gamoqveynebuli dokumenti „aRmosavleT partniorobis 20 Sedegi 2020 wlisTvis“ partnior qveynebs diferencirebuli midgomis safuZvelze sTavazobs konkretul samoqmedo gegmas, romelic Cvens TanamSromlobas evrokavSirTan saqmiansa da Sedegebze fokusirebuls gaxdis. aRniSnuli dokumentiT gaTvaliswinebuli prioritetebi srul TanxvedraSia saqarTvelos mTavrobis prioritetebTan da xels uwyobs evrokavSirTan TanamSromlobis Semdgom gaRrmavebas iseT sferoebSi, rogorebicaa: ekonomikis ganviTareba da sabazro SesaZleblobebi, maT Soris mcire da saSualo sawarmoTa daxmarebis gziT; institutebis gaZliereba da kargi mmarTveloba, romlis farglebSic saqarTvelos mTavroba iwyebs sajaro administrirebis masStabur reformas; komunikaciebi, energoefeqturoba, garemo da klimatis cvlilebebi; mobiluroba da xalxTa Soris kontaqtebi, gansakuTrebiT ganaTlebis, kerZod ki, profesiuli ganaTlebis xelSewyobis mimarTulebiT. „20 Sedegi 2020 wlisTvis“ _ am dokumentiT gaTvaliswinebuli prioritetebis ganxorcieleba dagvexmareba, evrointegraciis procesi iyos ufro mizanmimarTuli da Cvenma moqalaqeebma maqsimaluri sargebeli miiRon evrokavSirTan politikuri asocirebisa da ekonomikuri integraciis Sedegad. saqarTvelos xelisufleba mzadaa, meti intensivobiT gaagrZelos aqtiuri muSaoba imisTvis, rom yovlismomcveli reformebis konkretuli Sedegebis demonstrirebiT daamtkicos qveynis erTguleba im saerTo evropuli faseulobebisa da principebisadmi, romlebsac evrokavSiri efuZneba da rac savaldebuloa evrokavSirSi gawevrianebis msurveli nebismieri evropuli saxelmwifosTvis. Sesabamisad, iseTi partniorebis mxardaWera am gzaze, rogoric viSegradis qveynebia, did stimuls aZlevs Cvens qveyanas, raTa evrokavSirSi srulfasovan integracias mivaRwioT. Cveni survilia „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ samiti iyos evrokavSiris, misi wevri saxelmwifoebisa da partniori qveynebis saerTo warmateba, romelic diferenciaciis principis Sesabamisad upasuxebs yvela monawilis interessa Tu miswrafebas da ganvlili progresis realisturi SefasebiT momavalze orientirebul ambiciur xedvas dasaxavs.

18

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

• On 1 July, Georgia became a full signatory party to the European Energy Community—yet another serious step on the path to European integration.

• Our resolute reform policy has enabled us to deepen our cooperation with the EU in a number of areas, including energy and transport, communication and infrastructure, which further cements our country’s transit role and function.

• As an active contributor to international security and a reliable partner of the EU, Georgia has been successfully participating in EU-led crisis management operations since 2014.

Today, Georgia-EU relations are closer and more productive than ever.The progress achievedlays fertile ground on which to further strengthen and intensify these relations.In this context, we expect the Eastern Partnership Summit to boost Georgia’s European integration.

The European Union’s December 2016 Document “Eastern Partnership: 20 Key Deliverables for 2020” employed a different approach, offering partner countries a concrete action plan, which will make our cooperation with the European Union even more business- and results-oriented.The priorities defined in this document, which perfectly match those of the Georgian government, encourage the further deepening of our cooperation with the EU in such areas as economic development and market opportunities, including through assisting SMEs, institutional growth and good governance (as part of which the Georgian government is about to launch far-reaching public administration reform), communication, energy efficiency, environment and climate change, mobility and people-topeople contacts, especially in terms of promoting education, and especially professional education. The implementation of the priorities set by the 20 Key Deliverables for 2020 will help us to further increase the purposefulness of our European integration; they will enable our citizens to fully enjoy the benefits offered by political association and economic integration with the EU. The Georgian government is ready to intensify its continuous work toward demonstrating the concrete outcomes of its comprehensive reforms proving the country’s commitment to common European values and principles underpinning the European Union, which any EU-aspirant country must embrace.Accordingly, support from such partners as the V4 member states on this path offers great encouragement for our country as it spares no effort to achieve full EU integration.

We expect the Eastern Partnership Summit to represent yet another success of the European Union, its Member States and partner countries, addressing the interests and aspirations of every participant, and defining an ambitious future-oriented vision based on a realistic analysis of the progress achieved.

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

საპარლამენტო კონტროლის მნიშვნელობა ასოცირების შესახებ შეთანხმებით ნაკისრი ვალდებულებების ეფექტიანად შესრულებისთვის 20

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

Significance of Parliamentary Control for the Effective Implementation of Association Agreement Obligations ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

21

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

g

aeros ganviTarebis programa (UNDP) evrokavSiris mier dafinansebuli proeqtis _ „saparlamento demokratiis sistemis gaZliereba saqarTveloSi“ _ farglebSi aqtiurad TanamSromlobs saqarTvelos parlamentis garemos dacvisa da bunebrivi resursebis komitetTan. programis kontraqtori organizacia _ „informaciis Tavisuflebis ganviTarebis instituti“ (IDFI) daxmarebs uwevs saqarTvelos parlaments, aqtiurad CaerTos „Ria mmarTvelobis partniorobaSi“ (OGP), rac gulisxmobs sakanonmdeblo Riaobas samoqmedo gegmis valdebulebebis SemuSavebasa da ganxorcielebaSi. saqarTvelos parlamentma samoqalaqo sazogadoebis organizaciebTan erTad warmatebiT SeimuSava „2015-2016 wlebis Ria parlamentis samoqmedo gegma“, risTvisac 2015 wels daimsaxura specialuri jildo OGP-is globalur samitze meqsikaSi. miuxedavad amisa, aucilebelia, parlamentis gamWvirvalobisa da sakanonmdeblo procesebSi moqalaqeTa CarTulobis kidev ufro gazrda. saparlamento demokratiis gaZliereba uzrunvelyofs parlamentis rolis zrdas erovnuli politikis SemuSavebasa da evropul integraciaSi, rac uSualod ukavSirdeba saqarTvelo-evrokavSiris asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebiT nakisri valdebulebebis Sesrulebas. gansakuTrebuli mniSvnelobisaa garemos dacvisa da bunebrivi resursebis saparlamento komitetis aTwliani strategia da oTxwliani samoqmedo gegma, romelic evrokavSirisa da gaeros ganviTarebis programis aRniSnuli proeqtis farglebSi muSavdeba. igi srul TanxvedraSi iqneba evrokavSirTan asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebiT gaTvaliswinebul moTxovnebTan. es dokumenti, garemos dacvisa da bunebrivi resursebis komitetis kompetenciebis gaTvaliswinebiT, mniSvnelovanwilad gansazRvravs qveynis grZelvadian garemosdacviT politikas. amasTanave, dokumentSi Camoyalibebuli principebi da strategiuli nabijebi xels Seuwyobs saqarTvelos da evrokavSiris kanonmdeblobebis harmonizacias.

2014 wlis 18 ivliss saqarTvelos parlamentis mier ratificirebuli asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmeba, romelic moicavs Rrma da yovlismomcveli Tavisufali vaWrobis sivrcis komponents (DCFTA), moiTxovs garemos dacvis seqtoris Zireul reformas, aseve, garemos sakiTxebis integrirebas ekonomikisa da vaWrobis seqtorSi. evrokavSiri gansakuTrebiT aRniSnavs, rom aqamde gaformebul asocirebis xelSekrulebebs Soris saqarTvelosTan SeTanxmeba warmoadgens yvelaze mravlismomcvel da gaumjobesebul dokuments. niSandoblivia, rom meti SesaZleblobebi met valdebulebebs iTvaliswinebs, rac sabolood xelSekrulebis sirTuleze aisaxeba. swored amitom, asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebis gaformebiT dawyebuli etapi saqarTvelosTvis gardamtexia. am xelSekrulebiT saqarTvelo

22

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

კახაბერ კუჭავა საქართველოს პარლამენტის გარემოს დაცვისა და ბუნებრივი რესურსების კომიტეტის თავმჯდომარე

Kakhaber Kuchava Chairman of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources

A

s part of the EU-funded project “Strengthening the System of Parliamentary Democracy in Georgia,” the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is actively cooperating with the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of the Parliament of Georgia.

The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI), an organization contracted for the project, is assisting the Parliament of Georgia to fully engage in Open Government Partnership (OGP) through the elaboration and implementation of various obligations under the action plan for legislative openness. The Parliament of Georgia, together with civil society organizations, successfully carried out the Open Parliament Georgia - Action Plan for 2015-2016, which earned a special award at the OGP Global Summit in Mexico in 2015. Nevertheless, it remains important to further increase the transparency of the Parliament as well as the level of public engagement in legislative processes. Strengthening parliamentary democracy will ensure an increased role of the Parliament in the development of national policy and European integration, which is directly linked to the implementation of various obligations under the EUGeorgia Association Agreement.

The 10-year-long Strategy of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Natural Resources should be noted here, as well as its 4-year-long Action Plan currently being elaborated under the EU-UNDP project mentioned above which will be in full compliance with the requirements of the Association Agreement. The latter document will play an important role in defining the country’s long-term environmental policy. Moreover, principles and strategic steps set out in the document will facilitate harmonization of Georgian legislation with the EU acquis.

The Association Agreement, which includes the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) component, ratified by the Parliament of

valdebulia, ganamtkicos da daicvas saerTo evropuli faseulobebi, xeli Seuwyos demokratiuli principebis, kanonis uzenaesobisa da kargi mmarTvelobis damkvidrebas. aRniSnuli moTxovnebis SesrulebisTvis mniSvnelovania, parlamenti Semoifarglos ara mxolod sakanonmdeblo komponentiT, aramed xeli Seuwyos miRebuli gadawyvetilebebis Sesrulebas, parlamentis winaSe angariSvaldebuli organoebisa da mTavrobis saqmianobis kontrols, sazogadoebasTan urTierTobas maqsimaluri gamWvirvalobiT. komiteti aqtiurad muSaobs imisTvis, rom garemosdacviTi kanonmdebloba SesabamisobaSi iyos rogorc horizontalur, ise seqtorul direqtivebTan. asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebiT nakisri valdebulebebis Sesasruleblad SemuSavda araerTi kanoni da politikis dokumenti. maT Soris aRsaniSnavia kanoni „cocxali genmodificirebuli organizmebis Sesaxeb“, romelic 2014 wels Sevida ZalaSi. aseve, 2015 wels amoqmedda narCenebis marTvis kodeqsi. evropul kanonmdeblobasTan harmonizaciisken win gadadgmuli nabijia narCenebis marTvis erovnuli strategiis SemuSaveba, romelic srul TanxvedraSia evrokavSiris moTxovnebTan. parlamenti mesame mosmeniT ganixilavs kanons „garemosdacviTi Sefasebis Sesaxeb“, romelic strategiul garemosdacviT Sefasebasac iTvaliswinebs. mniSvnelovania aRiniSnos 2015-2019 wlebisTvis SemuSavebuli qimiuri, biologiuri, radiaciuli da birTvuli dacvis erovnuli strategia. wylis resursebis integrirebuli marTvis sistemis danergvisTvis samarTlebrivi safuZvlebis Seqmnis mizniT dawyebulia kanonproeqtis momzadeba „wylis resursebis marTvis Sesaxeb“, romelic efuZneba wylis resursebis saauzo marTvis evropul principebs. aRsaniSnavia agreTve asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebiT nakisri valdebuleba tyis kodeqsis SemuSavebis Sesaxeb, romelzec 2016 wlidan mimdinareobs muSaoba. komiteti aqtiurad aris CarTuli biologiuri mravalferovnebis Sesaxeb kanonproeqtze muSaobaSi, romelic asocirebis xelSekrulebis danarTis erT-erTi komponentia. komitetis mizania asocirebis xelSekrulebiT nakisri valdebulebebis drouli da efeqtiani Sesruleba, parlamentis erT-erTi mTavari funqciis _ zedamxedvelobis gawevis uzrunvelyofa da sazogadoebis maqsimaluri CarTuloba gadawyvetilebis miRebis procesSi. swored amitom, dagegmilia kanonSemoqmedebiTi saqmianobis efeqtiani koordinacia aRmasrulebeli xelisuflebis sxvadasxva struqturasTan, gansakuTrebiT ki, garemos da bunebrivi resursebis dacvis saministrosTan, aseve, sxva seqtorul saministroebTan da parlamentis Sesabamis komitetebTan. mniSvnelovania, rom komiteti gaxdes kidev ufro metad aqtiuri rogorc garemos dacvis, ise bunebrivi resursebis TvalsazrisiT da xeli Seuwyos qveyanaSi garemosdacviTi ganaTlebis donis gaumjobesebas.

Georgia on 18 July 2014, requires fundamental reform of the environmental protection sector as well as the integration of environmental issues into economy and trade.

The EU emphasizes that the EU-Georgia Association Agreement is the most comprehensive document that has ever been signed between the two parties.

For Georgia, this means more opportunities but also more obligations.

Accordingly, the phase following the signing of the Association Agreement is crucial for Georgia. Under the Association Agreement, Georgia must strengthen and protect common European values, and promote the implementation of democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance. In order to fulfil these commitments, the Parliament should not limit its focus to the legislative component but it should also facilitate implementation of necessary decisions, monitor activities of government and the authorities accountable to the Parliament, and public relations through maximum transparency.

The Committee is working devotedly to bring Georgia’s environmental legislation in line with both horizontal and sectoral directives. Numerous laws and policy documents have been elaborated according to the obligations undertaken by the Association Agreement, including the Law on Living Genetically Modified Organisms (enacted in 2014) and the Waste Management Code (enacted in 2015). The National Waste Management Strategy represents a step forward in Georgia’s harmonization with European legislation, as it complies fully with the requirements and vision of the EU. At its third hearing, the Parliament will discuss the Law on Environmental Assessment. The National Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Security Strategy for 2015-2019 should be hereby mentioned. In order to create a legal basis for the implementation of the Integrated Water Resources Management System, the draft Law on Water Resources Management is being elaborated according to the European principles of the basin management of water resources. Since 2016, the Forest Code has been established in compliance with the Association Agreement commitments, while the Committee is also actively involved in drafting the Law on Biological Diversity which is one of the components of the Annex of the Association Agreement.

The Committee aims is to ensure timely and effective implementation of the commitments made in the Association Agreement, as well as in the implementation of supervision functions of the Parliament and engaging the public in the decision-making process. Therefore, we plan to effectively coordinate legislative activities with various structures of the executive branch, in particular with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, as well as with other line ministries as well as with various parliamentary committees. It is crucial that the Committee becomes more active in terms of environmental protection, natural resources and in contributing to the improvement of environmental education in the country.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

23

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი

s

საქართველო და ესტონეთი

ერთიანი ევროპული ფასეულობების მქონე სახელმწიფოების გაძლიერებული პარტნიორობა თეა ახვლედიანი საქართველოს ელჩი ესტონეთის რესპუბლიკაში

Georgia and Estonia

increasing partnership of two states united by shared European values Tea Akhvlediani Ambassador of Georgia to the Republic of Estonia

24

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

aqarTvelosa da estoneTis respublikas Soris mWidro TanamSromloba, megobroba da myari politikuri kavSirebi kidev ufro gaRrmavda bolo ramdenime wlis ganmavlobaSi. vfiqrob, swored Tavisuflebisa da damoukideblobisTvis brZola da evropuli faseulobebi gaxda Cveni erebis erTsulovnebisa da erTianobis, gaZlierebuli partniorobis mTavari mamoZravebeli Zala. saqarTvelosa da estoneTs Soris urTierTobebi warmatebiT da aqtiurad viTardeba TanamSromlobis ormxriv da mravalmxriv formatebSi. politikur, ekonomikur da kulturul ganzomilebebTan erTad, is moicavs dargobrivi TanamSromlobis prioritetul mimarTulebaTa farTo speqtrs, rac, amave dros, exmianeba saqarTvelo-evrokavSiris asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebiT gansazRvrul mTavar amocanebs. iseTi mimarTulebebiT miRweuli xelSesaxebi Sedegebi, rogorebicaa: kiberusafrTxoeba da eleqtronuli mmarTveloba, ganaTleba da kultura, garemos dacva da regionuli TanamSromloba, vaWroba da turizmi, inovaciebi da startapebi, kidev erTxel miuTiTebs or qveyanas Soris arsebul gamorCeul megobrobasa da dinamikur TanamSromlobaze. statistikuri monacemebis Tanaxmad, 2016 wels savaWro brunva saqarTvelosa da estoneTs Soris 21 procentiT gaizarda; pirdapiri ucxouri investiciebi _ 11 procentiT; estoneTSi qarTuli Rvinis eqsporti _ 36 procentiT; saqarTveloSi estoneli turistebis raodenoba ki _ 16 procentiT. yovelive amis dasturia mxolod 2017 wlis pirvel naxevarSi ganxorcielebuli vizitebis uprecedento dinamika da miRweuli Sedegebi: maisis Sua ricxvebSi, estoneTs saqarTvelos premier-ministri ewvia, rasac mohyva evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saxelmwifo ministris da Semdeg, garemosa da bunebrivi resursebis dacvis ministris vizitebi. ramdenime kviriT adre ki, saqarTvelos estoneTis sagareo saqmeTa ministri stumrobda, romelsac win uZRoda, estoneTis parlamentis prezidentis „nordikul-baltiuri rvianis“ formatSi ganxorcielebuli viziti da kulturis ministris viziti. 2017 wlis ianvridan estoneTma aseve umaspinZla saqarTvelos Tavdacvis ministrsa da SeiaraRebuli Zalebis gaerTianebuli Stabis ufross, evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saxelmwifo ministrsa da kulturuli memkvidreobis dacvis erovnuli saagentos generalur direqtors, agreTve maRal da eqspertebis doneze warmodgenil sxva Tematur delegaciebs. intensiurad mimdinareobs ormxrivi saparlamento TanamSromloba, aseve regionebsa da qalaqebs Soris partnioroba. q. quTaisisa da q. Telavis merebi maisis bolos ewvivnen estoneTis qalaqebs _ tartusa da viliandis, partniorobis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebebis momzadebisa da xelmoweris mizniT. axlaxan, estoneTis evrokavSiris Tavmjdomareobam talinSi umaspinZla saqarTvelos iusticiisa da Sinagan saqmeTa ministrebs evrokavSirisa da „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ ministrTa araformaluri Sexvedris farglebSi. wlis bolomde dagegmilia agreTve araerTi maRali donis RonisZieba. mivesalmebiT „lennart meris konferenciasa“ da „saqarTvelos evropuli gzis“ baTumis konferencias Soris miRweul partniorobas, romelic, maT Soris strategiuli komunikaciebis sferos mniSvnelobis aRsaniSnavad da saTanadod warmosaCenad, warmatebiT ganxorcielda ivlisSi.

T

he already close friendship and robust political ties between Georgia and the Republic of Estonia have been further strengthened in the past couple of years. I believe that striving for freedom and independence, as well as our shared European values, have united our nations and served as the main driving force behind our deepening partnership.

Georgia and Estonia enjoy vibrant and successful relations within the existing bilateral as well as multilateral formats of cooperation. In political, economic and cultural dimensions, this cooperation has encompassed a wide range of priority areas echoing the main goals set by the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, including the DCFTA. Tangible outcomes achieved in the fields of cyber-security and e-governance, education and culture, environment and regional cooperation, trade and tourism, innovations and start-ups, all reflect an exceptional and lasting friendship.

Trade turnover in 2016 between Georgia and Estonia increased by 21%, while FDI also rose by 11%. Meanwhile, wine exports to Estonia from Georgia soared by 36% and the number of visitors from Estonia to Georgia increased by 16%.

In just the first half of 2017, the two countries’ bond has been solidified further still. In mid-May, the Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili visited Estonia, followed by the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Victor Dolidze and later by the visit of the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia Gigla Agulashvili. A short while earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Sven Mikser visited Georgia, preceded by the visits of the President of the Riigikogu Mr. Eiki Nestor in the format of the NB8 and the Minister of Culture of Estonia Indrek Saar. This year, Estonia has also hosted the Minister of Defense and Chief of Defense of Georgia Levan Izoria, the State Minister and Director of National Agency of Cultural Heritage, as well as other notable delegations. We are intensifying the parliamentary component of our bilateral cooperation, as well as bolstering partnerships between regions and cities.

The Mayors of Kutaisi and Telavi visited Tartu and Viljandi at the end of May to conclude partnership agreements.

Minister of Justice of Georgia Thea Tsulukiani and Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Giorgi Mghebrishvili were recently hosted by the Estonian EU Presidency in Tallinn at the EU-EaP informal ministerial meeting, which will be followed by a number of other important events in the course of the year. We certainly welcome the partnership between the “Lennart Meri Conference” and “Georgia’s European Way” that underlines the significance of strategic communications.

In 2017, Georgia and Estonia mark the 25th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, since the restoration of

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

25

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი 2017 wels saqarTvelo da estoneTi, orive qveynis damoukideblobis aRdgenis Semdeg, diplomatiuri urTierTobebis damyarebis 25 wlisTavs aRniSnavs. amgvari RirsSesaniSnavi TariRebi mudam gvagonebs istoriuli ganviTarebis garkveul etapebs; saqarTvelos mravalsaukunovani istoriis bolo 25-wliani periodi, SeiZleba iTqvas, xasiaTdeba rogorc brZola mopovebuli damoukideblobidan suverenuli qveynis arCevanis Tavisuflebis ganmtkicebisken. am process Tan axlda rogorc umZimesi movlenebi, saqarTvelos ori regionis mimdinare okupaciis CaTvliT, ise umniSvnelovanesi miRwevebic. Cveni partniorebis aqtiurma mxardaWeram mniSvnelovani roli Seasrula saqarTvelos evrointegraciis da natoSi gawevrianebis, iseve rogorc qveynis transformaciisa da reformebis msvlelobaSi. saqarTvelosa da estoneTs Soris urTierTobebi da wrfeli megobroba bevrad met weliwads iTvlis, Tumca bolo 25 wlis ganmavlobaSi estoneTis politikuri da praqtikuli mxardaWera, iseve rogorc gaziarebuli gamocdileba, umniSvnelovanesi iyo saqarTvelos demokratizaciisa da evroatlantikuri integraciis procesSi. estoneTis mtkice pozicia am TvalsazrisiT da Zlieri mxardaWera saerTaSorisod aRiarebul sazRvrebSi saqarTvelos teritoriuli mTlianobisa da suverenitetis mimarT, naTlad dafiqsirda estoneTis sakanonmdeblo da aRmasrulebeli xelisuflebis araerT gancxadebasa da deklaraciaSi. erovnul perspeqtivasa da istoriul WrilTan erTad, 2017 weli msurs aRvniSno ufro farTo _ evropul konteqstSi, rac gasuli periodis msgavsad, wels gansakuTrebulad gansazRvravs orive qveynis Sida da sagareo politikas. swored wels gavrcelda saqarTvelos moqalaqeebze evrokavSirTan uvizod mimosvlis reJimi, rac asocirebis SeTanxmebis xelmoweris Semdeg saqarTvelos evrointegraciis gzaze yvelaze didi da xelSesaxebi miRwevaa. 2017 wlis 1 ivlisidan estoneTi, eqvsi Tvis vadiT, pirvelad gaxda evrokavSiris sabWos Tavmjdomare qveyana. did warmatebas vusurvebT Cvens estonel megobrebs maT mier evrokavSiris Tavmjdomareobisas dasaxuli miznebisa da amocanebis ganxorcielebaSi. erTian da usafrTxo, cifrul da aRorZinebul evrokavSirze koncentrirebasTan erTad, estoneTis evrokavSiris Tavmjdomareobis erT-erT mniSvnelovan horizontalur prioritets „aRmosavleT partnioroba“ warmoadgens. ramdenime TveSi, briuselSi estoneTis Tavmjdomareobisas, „aRmosavleT partniorobis“ me-5 samiti gaimarTeba, romelic, Cveni rwmeniT, praqtikul Sedegebze, iseve rogorc evrokavSirTan Cveni urTierTobebis progresulad ganviTarebis grZelvadian xedvaze iqneba orientirebuli. estoneTis Tavmjdomareobis miswrafeba _ saTanadod warmoaCinos „aRmosavleT partnioroba“ da misi mniSvneloba _ naTlad aisaxa evrokavSirisa da swored aRmosavleT evropeli partniorebis monawileobiT dagegmil maRali donis konkretul RonisZiebebSi, romlebic estoneTSi 2017 wlis bolomde gaimarTeba. saqarTvelo mowodebulia, warmatebiT ganagrZos evrointegraciis ambiciuri dRis wesrigis ganxorcieleba TanamSromlobis yvela Sesabamisi formatisa da meqanizmis gamoyenebiT. darwmunebuli var, rom saqarTvelosa da estoneTs Soris arsebuli, ndobasa da saerTo interesebze dafuZnebuli SesaniSnavi urTierTobebi ufro met SesaZleblobebs Seqmnis Cveni saxelmwifoebisa da erebis sasargeblod, Semdgomi TanamSromlobis gaRrmavebisTvis.

26

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Georgia and EU | საქართველო და ევროკავშირი independence of both countries in the early 1990s. The shadow of history is always present for the commemoration of such notable dates. The last 25 years, within the centuries-long chronicles of Georgia, can be described as a struggle for independence and freedom of choice as a sovereign state, during which there have been hard times, including the ongoing occupation of two Georgian regions.

Throughout Georgia’s significant transformation and reforms, and the achievement of important milestones on the path to European integration and NATO membership, the solid support of our partners has been crucial. True friendship between Georgia and Estonia began a lot further back in time, but during the last 25 years the political and practical support rendered by Estonia, as well as shared experience, has been vital in Georgia’s democratization and Euro-Atlantic integration course. Estonia’s firm position in this respect and strong support for the territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders have been vividly reflected in a number of statements and declarations of the legislative as well as executive branches of the Estonian authorities.

I would like to highlight 2017, not just from national perspectives and historical contexts, but through a wider, European prism. After all, Europe defines the foreign and domestic policies of both countries. This year, a visa-free travel regime with the majority of the EU was introduced to the citizens of Georgia, which since the signature of the Association Agreement, is the most tangible accomplishment in our European integration agenda. In the second half of 2017, Estonia presides over the Council of the EU for the first time and we wish Estonia every success in accomplishing its vision for the Presidency of the European Union. While concentrating on the EU, one of its horizontal priorities will be the Eastern Partnership.

Later this year, the 5th Eastern Partnership Summit will be held in Brussels under the Estonian Presidency, which we believe will ensure practical deliverables and set out a forward-looking vision for the progressive development of our relations with the EU. The aspirations of the Estonian EU Presidency include further highlighting the importance of the Eastern Partnership, has been translated into a number of highlevel topical events for the EU and its Eastern European partners, to be held in Estonia by the end of this year. We are committed to continuing the successful implementation of the ambitious European integration agenda of Georgia, through all respective formats of cooperation.

I am confident that the existing remarkable relations between Georgia and Estonia, based on mutual trust and common interests, will open many more avenues to be explored to ensure further successful cooperation for our mutual benefit.

ესტონეთი და საქართველო ევროპულ გზაზე კაი კაარელსონი ესტონეთის რესპუბლიკის ელჩი საქართველოში

Estonia and Georgia on the European way Kai Kaarelson Ambassador of Estonia to Georgia

p

irvelad istoriaSi, 2017 wlis meore naxevridan estoneTi evrokavSiris sabWos prezidenti gaxdeba. miuxedavad imisa, rom Cven irgvliv arastabiluri garemoa, am pasuxismgeblobas kargad momzadebulebi da mkafiod Camoyalibebuli gegmiT vxvdebiT. Cveni erT-erTi prioritetia kidev ufro ganvaviTaroT urTierTobebi evrokavSiris aRmosavleT partniorobis iseT qveynebTan, rogorebicaa: saqarTvelo, ukraina, moldova, somxeTi, azerbaijani da belarusi. saqarTvelo, sadac sul axlaxan amoqmedda evrokavSiris/Sengenis qveynebTan uvizo mimosvlis reJimi, qveyana, romelic mtkiced win miiwevs asocirebis Sesaxeb SeTanxmebisa da misi Rrma da yovlismomcveli savaWro sivrcis (DCFTA) komponentis ganxorcielebaSi, amJamad am procesis bevr sakiTxSi liderobs. estoneTma msgavsi ganviTarebis faza cota xnis win gamoiara da amitomac kargad gvesmis saqarTvelosi. Cvens qveyanaSi xalxs kvlav axsovs, rogoria fineTis sakonsuloSi vizebis misaRebad rigSi dgoma. isic gvaxsovs, Tu ras niSnavs, miznad daisaxo sakuTar qveyanaSi cxovrebis donis gaumjobeseba da Sesabamisad, evrokavSirTan daaxloeba. amisTvis yvelam didi Sroma gaswia _ sajaro Tu kerZo seqtorSi; es iyo gunduri samuSao. qarTvel ers unikalurobas aniWebs ukeTesi momavlisadmi maTi mtkice rwmena. perspeqtivis es gancda _ xalxis rwmena, rom maT SeuZliaT gaaumjobeson TavianTi qveyana SromismoyvareobiTa da didi pasuxismgeblobiT, savaraudod, warmatebis gasaRebia. garedan moniWebuli Tavisufleba ar aris mdgradi, WeSmariti Tavisufleba mxolod Signidan modis. amavdroulad, evrokavSiris kari kvlavac Riaa, rogorc es 2017 wlis 25 martis romis xelSekrulebis saiubileo TariRis deklaraciiTaa gaTvaliswinebuli; im qveynebisTvis, romlebic saerTo faseulobebs iziareben, dasZens lisabonis xelSekrulebis 49-e muxli. evrokavSiris ekonomikuri birTvi oTxi Tavisuflebisgan Sedgeba. esenia: saqonlis, adamianebis, kapitalisa da momsaxurebis Tavisufali gadaadgileba. partniorebis meti integracia swored am oTxi Tavisuflebis maTze etapobrivad gavrcelebas gulisxmobs. xalxis Tavisufal gadaadgilebas, albaT, yvelaze didi simboluri datvirTva aqvs. axla saqarTvelos moqalaqeebisTvis turistuli mogzauroba ufro martivadaa SesaZlebeli _ naxon, gamoscadon da Semdeg gadawyviton, surT Tu ara ganacxadi gaakeTon evrokavSiris/Sengenis qveyanaSi swavlis an muSaobis nebarTvaze. estoneTSi amJamad 159 qarTveli studenti swavlobs da Cemi qveyana gamoTqvams mzadyofnas, kidev ufro meti studenti miiRos. DCFTA-s meSveobiT evrokavSiri mzadaa, Tavis bazarze ufro meti qarTuli produqcia Seitanos. amJamad estoneTsa da saqarTvelos Soris urTierTobebi mWidroa, rogorc arasdros. es aris or patara qveyanas Soris arsebuli urTierTobebi, istoriis saerTo nawiliT da, imedia, saerTo momavliTac, rogorsac usafrTxo, warmatebuli evropuli demokratiebi gaiziareben.

F

or the first time, Estonia will be presiding over the Council of the European Union during the second half of 2017. We are well prepared to assume this role, with a clear plan in mind, even if the developments around us are turbulent.

One of our priorities will be advance relations between the Council and the Eastern Partnership countries – Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus. “In many respects, Georgia is leading the way here, having recently attained a visa-free regime with the Schengen countries while advancing vigorously in its implementation of the Association Agreement including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA).

Estonia can certainly relate to Georgia’s situation, having undergone a similar phase of development in the fairly recent past. People in our country still remember standing in queues for visas at the Finnish Consulate in Tallinn. Estonians also remember what it means to pursue making one’s own country a better place to live, by moving closer to the European Union. It requires the hard work of everyone across the public and private sectors.

Georgia stands out for its indomitable belief in a better future.

This perspective – the belief that they can improve their country via hard work and take ownership - is key to succeeding. Freedom is not gifted, it has to be earned to be sustainable. Meanwhile, the door of the European Union will remain open, as stipulated in the declaration of unity at the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on 25 March 2017, to countries that share the same values, a principle also enshrined in Article 49 of the Treaty of Lisbon.

At the core of the European Union’s economy are four freedoms, namely the free movement of goods, people, capital and services.

Closer integration between partners means applying the same freedoms gradually, while freer movement of people probably carries the greatest symbolic value. It is now easier for the citizens of Georgia to travel as a tourist in the majority of EU Member States, allowing them to see and experience new nations and cities before perhaps deciding to apply for a permit to study or work in a Schengen country. Estonia currently accommodates 159 Georgian students and is ready to welcome more. In addition, through the DCFTA, the EU is ready to welcome more Georgian goods onto its market.

Today, relations are closer than ever between Estonia and Georgia, two small nations that have a shared history and hopefully a shared future as secure and prosperous European democracies.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

27

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

ნატოს საპარლამენტო ასამბლეა: 26-29 მაისი, თბილისი ირაკლი სესიაშვილი საქართველოს პარლამენტის თავდაცვისა და უშიშროების კომიტეტის თავმჯდომარე

NATO Parliamentary Assembly, 26-29 May, Tbilisi Irakli Sesiashvili Chairman of the Committee on Defense and Security of the Parliament of Georgia

s

anam TbilisSi gamarTul natos saparlamento asambleis Sinaarsobriv mxares Sevexebode, minda aRvniSno, rom Cven natos arawevri rigiT me-5 qveyana varT, sadac natos saparlamento asambleis sesia Catarda. bolos, natos saparlamento asambleis sesia aliansis arawevr saxelmwifoSi 15 wlis win bulgareTSi gaimarTa. aRniSnuli faqti xazs usvams, rogorc qveynis SigniT, ise qveynis gareT, Cveni saerTo ZalisxmeviT miRweul mniSvnelovan Sedegs, rac, Tavis mxriv, Cvenma partniorma saxelmwifoebma asambleis TbilisSi gamarTviT kidev erTxel dagvidastures. aseve, imedismomcemi faqtia, rom bulgareTi, romelmac 2002 wels natos saparlamento asambleas umaspinZla, maleve gawevrianda rogorc natoSi, ise evrokavSirSi. swrafi demokratiuli transformaciis TvalsazrisiT saqarTvelo regionSi samagaliTo qveyanas warmoadgens. evropul ojaxSi dabrunebis gza mniSvnelovan Zalisxmevas moiTxovs da progresi nabij-nabij miiRweva. erT-erTi aseTi nabiji swored natos saparlamento asambleis TbilisSi gamarTvis gadawyvetileba iyo. rac Seexeba 26-29 maiss TbilisSi gamarTul natos saparlamento asambleas, mogaxsenebT, rom asambleam Cveni qveynis momavlisTvis Zalze mniSvnelovani deklaracia miiRo. deklaracia mxars uWers qarTveli xalxisa da xelisuflebis strategiul arCevans, aaSenos damoukidebeli da suverenuli saxelmwifo, romelic evroatlantikuri ojaxis sruluflebiani wevri gaxdeba. amasTan, kidev erTxel adasturebs aliansis uryev mxardaWeras saqarTvelos suverenitetisa da teritoriuli mTlianobis mimarT saerTaSorisod aRiarebul sazRvrebSi, gmobs afxazeTisa da cxinvalis regionis ukanono okupacias da okupirebul regionebSi adamianis uflebebis darRvevas. aseve, dagmobilia saokupacio xazis gaswvriv Tavisufali mimosvlis SezRudva, ruseTis mxridan cecxlis Sewyvetis 6-punqtiani gegmis darRveva da okupirebuli teritoriebis faqtobrivi aneqsia. amasTan, Zalze mniSvnelovania, rom deklaracia mouwodebs Crdiloatlantikuri aliansis wevri qveynebis

28

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

B

efore I get to the content of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Tbilisi, it should be noted that Georgia is the fifth non-member state of NATO to host the NATO Parliamentary Assembly session. The last NATO Parliamentary Assembly session held in the non-member state of the Alliance was 15 years ago in Bulgaria. This emphasizes the significance of this achievement, secured by our joint efforts both inside and outside the country, which our partner states acknowledged once again by holding the Assembly in Tbilisi. Moreover, it is promising that after hosting the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in 2002, Bulgaria shortly became a member of both NATO and the EU. In terms of its rapid democratic transformation, Georgia is a leader in the region. It is making significant efforts to return to the European family, but progress can only be achieved step-by-step. One of such steps was the decision to hold the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Tbilisi.

Held in Tbilisi on 26-29 May, the Assembly adopted a very important declaration for our country's future. The declaration supports the strategic choice of the Georgian people and its authorities to build an independent and sovereign state that will become a member of the Euro-Atlantic family. Furthermore, it reaffirms the strong support of the Alliance toward

mTavrobebsa da parlamentebs, uzrunvelyon saqarTvelos mtkice politikuri da praqtikuli mxardaWera natoSi integraciasTan dakavSirebiT. meore mxriv, natos saparlamento asambleis TbilisSi gamarTva mniSvnelovani iyo saerTaSoriso sazogadoebisTvis saqarTvelos warmosaCenad. SegaxsenebT, rom am RonisZiebaSi 50 qveynis daaxloebiT 560 warmomadgeneli monawileobda. Sesabamisad, asambleis formati qveynis mier miRweuli warmatebebis saerTaSoriso sazogadoebisTvis gasacnobad gamoviyeneT. magaliTad, Camosul stumrebs ainteresebdaT reformebi, romlebic ganxorcielda Tavdacvis, usafrTxoebisa da ekonomikuri mimarTulebiT. natos saparlamento asamblea mniSvnelovani formatia am yvelafris demonstrirebisTvis, rac SemdgomSi aucileblad aisaxeba Cveni qveynis evroatlantikuri integraciis gzaze pozitiuri Sedegebis miRwevis TvalsazrisiT. gansakuTrebul yuradRebas imsaxurebs natos saparlamento asambleis prezidentis, paolo alis sityvebi. man aRiara saqarTvelos mier demokratiis gaZlierebis mxriv bolo wlebis ganmavlobaSi gaweuli mniSvnelovani Zalisxmeva. misive sityvebiT, natos saparlamento asambleis TbilisSi gamarTva am Zalisxmevis mxardaWera da imis demonstrirebaa, rom nato Zalian axlosaa saqarTvelosTan. TbilisSi gamarTuli natos saparlamento asambleis sagazafxulo sesia gamorCeulad warmatebiT dasrulda da Cvens partniorebTan urTierTobebis axal etapze gadavinacvleT. rogorc ukve aRvniSne, asambleis mier miRebuli deklaracia pirdapir mouwodebs wevr saxelmwifoebs, mxari dauWiron saqarTvelos natoSi integracias. aseve, misasalmebelia Zalze swori da mtkice gzavnilebi, romlebic asambleis farglebSi Cveni qveynis mxardasaWerad gaisma. dasasrul, madlobas vuxdi natos saparlamento asambleaSi monawile yvela im qveynis saparlamento delegaciebs, romlebmac absoluturad sworad Seafases saqarTvelos mier aRebuli politikuri kursi, aseve, reformebi da progresi, romlebic samagaliToa regionSi. madloba minda gadavuxado agreTve asambleis prezidents, natos generaluri mdivnis moadgiles da asambleis yvela wevrs Cveni qveynis mxardaWerisTvis.

Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and also condemns illegal occupation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region, and violation of human rights therein. In addition, the declaration condemns shifting of the occupation line, a clear violation of the Six-Point Ceasefire agreement with Russia and the actual annexation of the occupied territories. Crucially, the declaration calls on governments and parliaments of NATO Member States to provide firm political and practical support of Georgia’s integration into NATO. Moreover, holding the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Tbilisi was important in terms of representing Georgia in the international community.

Indeed, about 560 representatives from 50 countries participated in the event. Consequently, the Assembly format was used to introduce the successes achieved by the country to the international community. For example, foreign guests were informed about reforms implemented in the areas of defense, security and economy. The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is an important format to demonstrate Georgia’s progress, which will surely be reflected in achieving positive results regarding Euro-Atlantic integration.

Furthermore, I would like to note the words of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly President, Paolo Alli, who recognized Georgia's significant efforts in recent years toward strengthening democracy. In his words, holding the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Tbilisi rewards and encourages such efforts and demonstrates that NATO is very close to Georgia.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session held in Tbilisi was a tremendous success as we moved on to a new stage of relations with our partners. As previously mentioned, the declaration adopted by the Assembly directly calls on Member States to support Georgia's integration to NATO. In addition, we welcome all of the clear messages of support for our country at the Assembly.

In conclusion, I would like to thank all of the parliamentary delegations of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly that praised Georgia's foreign policy, reforms and progress, which has been exceptional in the region. I would also like to express my gratitude to the President of the Assembly, the Deputy Secretary-General of NATO and all the Assembly members for supporting our country.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

29

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

2

საქართველო ნატოს ფასეული და საიმედო პარტნიორი Georgia – NATO’s Valuable and Reliable Partner 30

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

017 wlis 2-3 marts saqarTvelos meored ewvia natos samxedro komiteti, romelsac komitetis Tavmjdomare, generali petr paveli xelmZRvanelobda. natos umaRlesi samxedro organos rigiT meore viziti saqarTveloSi naTlad adasturebs aliansis uryev mxardaWeras saqarTvelos teritoriuli mTlianobis, suverenitetisa da evroatlantikuri miswrafebebis mimarT. ordRiani vizitis farglebSi, natos samxedro komitetma saqarTvelosTan mudmivi sxdoma gamarTa, romelzec ganixiles regionSi arsebuli usafrTxoebis garemo da gamowvevebi, Tavdacvis reformebi, natosaqarTvelos arsebiTi paketi (SNGP) da nato-saqarTvelos TanamSromlobis sakiTxebi. garda amisa, aliansis wevri saxelmwifoebis samxedro warmomadgenlebi estumrnen nato-saqarTvelos arsebiTi paketis farglebSi daarsebul nato-saqarTvelos wvrTnisa da Sefasebis erTobliv centrs (JTEC) da adgilze gaecnen centris SesaZleblobebs. natos samxedro komitetis warmomadgenelebi aseve ewvivnen daviT aRmaSeneblis saxelobis saqarTvelos erovnuli Tavdacvis akademias. saqarTvelos Tavdacvis ministrma, levan izoriam umaRles samxedro pirs madloba gadauxada aliansis wevri TiToeuli qveynis mier gaweuli mxardaWerisa da praqtikuli daxmarebisTvis, rac xels uwyobs saqarTvelos SeiaraRebuli Zalebis gaZlierebas, TavdacviTi SesaZleblobebis ganmtkicebasa da natosTan Tavsebadobis kidev ufro amaRlebas. „dRes, ise rogorc arasdros, natos mxardaWera kritikulad mniSvnelovania regionSi arsebuli usafrTxoebis gamowvevebisa da ruseTis mxridan mezobeli qveynebis mimarT mzardi agresiis fonze. aliansis gadawyvetileba, rom saqarTveloSi meored gamarTuliyo samxedro komitetis sxdoma, kidev erTxel adasturebs saqarTvelosadmi mtkice mxardaWeras da misi, rogorc sando partniorisa da evroatlantikuri ojaxis momavali wevris aRiarebas“, _ ganacxada levan izoriam samxedro komitetis sxdomaze sityviT gamosvlisas. generalma petr pavelma dadebiTad Seafasa saqarTvelos Tavdacvis reformebi da aRniSna qarTuli mxaris mzadyofna, kidev ufro gazardos SeiaraRebuli Zalebis Tavsebadoba natos wevri qveynebis SeiaraRebul ZalebTan. generalma madloba gadauxada saqarTvelos natos egidiT mimdinare operaciebSi Setanili wvlilisa da natos swrafi reagirebis ZalebSi CarTulobisTvis. „msurs xazgasmiT aRvniSno, rom nato saimedo partniorad miiCnevs saqarTvelos, romelTan TanamSromlobac Ria da gulaxdili dialogis formatSi mimdinareobs. gansakuTrebul madlierebas gamovxatavT avRaneTis misiaSi saqarTvelos monawileobis gamo. saqarTvelos mniSvnelovani wvlili Seaqvs saerTaSoriso usafrTxoebis uzrunvelyofaSi“, _ ganacxada generalma petr pavelma.

O

n 2-3 March 2017, for the second time, the NATO Military Committee, headed by General Petr Pavel, chairman of the Military Committee, visited Georgia. This second visit of NATO’s highest military authority to Georgia clearly demonstrated the strong support of the Alliance towards Georgia's territorial integrity, sovereignty and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.

During a two-day visit, the NATO Military Committee held a permanent session with Georgia where they discussed the security environment and challenges in the region, defense reforms, the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package (SNGP) as well as NATOGeorgia cooperation issues. Moreover, representatives of the Alliance’s military staff visited the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre (JTEC) and learned about the Centre’s capabilities. Members of the Military Committee also visited the David Aghmashenebeli National Defence Academy of Georgia.

Levan Izoria, Georgian Minister of Defense, expressed his gratitude to General Pavel for the support and practical assistance of each nation of the Alliance that contributes to strengthening the Georgian armed forces, enhancing defense capabilities and further improving interoperability with NATO. "Today, like never before, NATO’s support is critical in the light of security challenges in the region and increasing aggression from Russia towards its neighbours. The Alliance's decision to hold the Military Committee meeting for the second time in Georgia reaffirms its strong support of Georgia and that it recognizes it as a credible partner and a future member of the Euro-Atlantic family”, stated Izoria in his speech at the Military Committee meeting.

General Pavel praised the defense reforms of Georgia and welcomed the readiness of Georgia to further increase the interoperability of its armed forces with those of NATO Member States. General Pavel extended his gratitude to Georgia for its contribution to NATO-led operations and its involvement in the NATO Response Force and noted that Georgia is a reliable partner of NATO that significantly contributes to joint efforts in international security.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

31

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC (AGL) is the special pur-

saqarTvelos SeiaraRebuli Zalebis generaluri Stabis ufrosma, vladimer CaCibaiam saqarTvelosa da natos warmatebul TanamSromlobaze gaamaxvila yuradReba: „natos samxedro komitetis viziti rigiT meore vizitia saqarTveloSi. Camovidnen 28 qveynisa da montenegros samxedro warmomadgenlebi, romelTac Cveni qveynis didi megobari generali petr paveli xelmZRvanelobda. vizitis farglebSi ganvixileT saqarTvelos SeiaraRebul ZalebSi mimdinare reformebi, aseve visaubreT momavali TanamSromlobis perspeqtivebze. komiteti gansakuTrebiT dainteresda regionis usafrTxoebasTan dakavSirebuli sakiTxebiT. am SemTxvevaSi Cvenma mxarem maqsimaluri informacia miawoda, Tu ra safrTxeebi arsebobs regionSi, upirveles yovlisa Cveni mezobeli qveynis mxridan. maSin rodesac, saqarTvelos teritoriebis 20 procenti okupirebulia, mimdinareobs am regionebis aqtiuri militarizacia“, _ aRniSna brigadis generalma vladimer CaCibaiam.

Crdiloatlantikuri aliansis samxedro komiteti ukve meored ewvia saqarTvelos. es aris mkafio gzavnili imis Sesaxeb, rom aliansi mxars uWers saqarTvelos integracias da mis miswrafebas natoSi gawevrianebis gzaze.

32

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

“I would like to emphasize that NATO considers Georgia as a reliable partner with whom we have cooperation in an open and frank format. We are particularly grateful for Georgia's participation in the mission in Afghanistan. Georgia significantly contributes to ensuring international security,” stated General Pavel.

Vladimer Chachibaia, Chief of the General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces, highlighted the successful cooperation between Georgia and NATO. “This is the second visit of the NATO Military Committee to Georgia.

Military representatives of 28 members of NATO as well as of Montenegro were led by the great friend of our country, Petr Pavel. In the framework of the visit, we discussed the on-going reforms in the Georgian armed forces as well as the prospects for future cooperation.

The Committee was particularly interested in the security of the region; our side provided full information about the threats in the region, especially from our neighbour; 20% of Georgian territories are occupied and active militarization of these regions is being carried out”, noted Major General Vladimer Chachibaia.

It was the second visit of the Military Committee of the Alliance to Georgia, which is a clear message from the Alliance that they support Georgia's integration and its aspiration of NATO membership.

pose vehicle set up to develop the hydropower resources on the Adjaristsqali River and its tributaries, in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. AGL is a joint venture between India’s Tata Power, Norway's Clean Energy Invest, and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group.

The construction of Shuakhevi HPP launched in the fall of 2013. As part of this project, One Weir and Two Dams with their respective reservoirs and connecting Tunnels have been constructed to divert water for Power Generation. The water conductor system consists of Three Tunnels with Cumulative length of 33.48 KM and 3.75 KM of Construction Adits. The Project investment cost exceeded USD 420 million. The total installed capacity of all of its hydropower plants is 187 MW. 730 Georgian citizens were employed in construction activities. The Shuakhevi HPP is the largest hydropower plant to be built in Georgia over the past fifty years.

After the launch of operations, the Shuakhevi HPP project will significantly contribute to Georgia’s path toward energy independence. The power generated by the project will be exclusively sold within Georgiathroughout the winter, a period of energy deficit.

The Shuakhevi HPP is the first hydropower project in Georgia to have been certified by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to reduce carbon

emissions. The Shuakhevi HPP will generate about 470 GWh of clean energy while lowering greenhouse gases emissions by more than 200,000 tons per year.

The Shuakhevi HPP project has played a crucial role in the development of Georgia’s energy sector and in nurturing young Georgian engineers. Ninety percent of the company’s staff consists of young Georgian engineers. Most of the project’s former interns from Georgian Technical University are now company employees.

Since the launch of the Shuakhevi HPP project, Adjaristsqali Georgia has actively worked to improve the living conditions of the population within the project area and to promote the region’s long-term development. As part of its corporate social responsibility program, the company has implemented over 70 social projects, most of which were planned as public-private partnerships.

Over 10,000 local residents have been engaged in the company’s infrastructure, education, and community development projects. For example, Adjaristsqali Georgia is currently financing the construction of Georgia’s largest alpine botanic garden in the Goderdzi tourist area in order to promote tourism in the area. The company is also helping to set up a garment factory in Khulo which will employ up to 250 local residents, in addition to several other large infrastructure projects implemented with the active participation of the local population.

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

ნატო-საქართველოს სახალხო დიპლომატიის ფორუმი ნინო ბოლქვაძე დირექტორი, საინფორმაციო ცენტრი ნატოსა და ევროკავშირის შესახებ

NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum Nino Bolkvadze Director, Information Center on NATO and EU

s

ainformacio omi, antidasavluri propaganda da masTan brZolis meTodebi natos wevri da partniori qveynebis dRis wesrigis aqtualur Temas warmoadgens. propagandasTan brZolis sakiTxebis gansaxilvelad da gamocdilebis gasaziareblad, 2014 wlidan briuselSi yovelwliurad imarTeba natos saxalxo diplomatiis forumi. mzard antidasavlur propagandasTan brZolaSi saqarTveloc aqtiuradaa CarTuli da 2016 wlidan nato-saqarTvelos saxalxo diplomatiis forums maspinZlobs. „nato propagandas propagandiT ar upirispirdeba“ _ mcdari informaciis winaaRmdeg natos mTavari midgomaa. aRniSnuli gzavniliT, 10 aprils, nato-saqarTvelos sa-

34

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

xalxo diplomatiis forumi saxalxo diplomatiis sakiTxebSi natos generaluri mdivnis TanaSemwem, sagangebo da sruluflebianma elCma, Tajan ildemma gaxsna. „Cven aqtiurad vebrZviT dezinformacias socialur mediaSi, mediasTan erTad vmuSaobT araswori informaciis gaqarwylebisTvis, vmuSaobT imisTvis, rom yvela Cveni aqtivoba Tu operacia Ria da gamWirvale formiT Sesruldes“, _ aRniSna Tajan ildemma. nato-saqarTvelos saxalxo diplomatiis forumi natos wevri da partniori qveynebis erToblivi muSaobis, rekomendaciebis SemuSavebisa da strategiebis dagegmvisTvis mniSvnelovan platformas warmoadgens.

Tematuria, rom saqarTvelos premier-ministrma giorgi kvirikaSvilma forumi swored erTiani midgomisa da usafrTxoebis sakiTxebSi saxalxo diplomatiis rolze saubriT gaxsna: „mxolod erTobiT da maT Soris saxalxo diplomatiis Zalian gaaqtiurebiT SevZlebT erTiani sainformacio strategiis ganxorcielebas, rac esoden mniSvnelovania usafrTxoebis uzrunvelsayofad“. forumis farglebSi natos wevri qveynebis, maT Soris amerikis SeerTebuli Statebis, didi britaneTis, estoneTis, rumineTis, latviis, aseve, partniori qveynebis _ ukrainisa da moldovis warmomadgenlebi qarTvel kolegebTan erTad saxalxo diplomatiasa da strategiul komunikaciebze ori dRis ganmavlobaSi msjelobdnen. forumze ganixiles efeqtiani saxalxo diplomatiis roli usafrTxoebis axal gamowvevebTan mimarTebiT, hibriduli

I

nformation warfare and anti-Western propaganda is currently a major issue on the agenda of NATO allies and its partner countries. To discuss how best to counter propaganda, as well as to share valuable experience in this regard, NATO Public Diplomacy Division has been holding its annual Public Diplomacy Forum since 2014. Georgia, fully engaged in the fight against anti-Western propaganda, has been hosting this Forum since 2016.

“NATO does not counter propaganda with propaganda” – is the principled approach of NATO towards disinformation. This was the message delivered by NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Tacan Ildem in his opening remarks at this year’s Forum on 10 April. “We actively counter fake news on social media, engage with media to correct false news stories, and work to ensure that all of our activities, exercises, and operations are conducted in an open and transparent manner”, noted Ildem.

The NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum represents an important platform for the joint work of NATO allies and its partner countries – to elaborate relevant recommendations and strategies in this regard. The Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, stressed the importance of joint action and public diplomacy in his opening remarks: "Only through unity and boosting public diplomacy will we be able to implement a joint informational strategy, which is so vital for ensuring security."

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

35

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

omi da masTan brZolis strategiebi, natosa da evrokavSirs Soris TanamSromlobis axali mimarTulebebi, kiberusafrTxoeba da aseve, tradiciuli da socialuri mediis roli sazogadoebrivi azris formirebaSi. forumis muSaobaSi saqarTvelos premier-ministrTan da saxalxo diplomatiis sakiTxebSi natos generaluri mdivnis TanaSemwesTan erTad sxva maRali rangis oficialuri warmomadgenlebic monawileobdnen, maT Soris: saqarTvelos prezidenti giorgi margvelaSvili, saqarTvelos saxelmwifo ministri evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi viqtor doliZe, saqarTvelos sagareo saqmeTa ministri mixeil janeliZe, aseve, aRmasrulebeli da sakanonmdeblo xelisuflebis strategiuli komunikaciebis sakiTxebze momuSave da arasamTavrobo organizaciebis, natos Stab-binisa da wevri qveynebis warmomadgenlebi. rogorc saqarTvelos prezidentma aRniSna, regionSi usafrTxoebis garemos realur Sesustebas iwvevs

36

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Georgia and NATO | საქართველო და ნატო

During the Forum, representatives of NATO Member States, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Romania and Latvia, as well as partner countries including Ukraine and Moldova, along with Georgian colleagues addressed public diplomacy and strategic communications for two days at the Conference. Topics of discussion included the role of effective public diplomacy in light of current security challenges, hybrid warfare and methods of countering it, new directions of NATOEU cooperation, cyber security, and the role of traditional and social media in shaping public opinion.

Together with the Prime Minister of Georgia and the Assistant Secretary-General for Public Diplomacy, Tacan Ildem, the President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Victor Dolidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mikheil Janelidze and other high-level guests, from NATO, its allies and partner countries, participated in the Forum.

hibriduli omi, kiberdapirispirebebi, rac ruseTis mier sazogadoebaze gavlenis seriozuli mcdeloba. „am TvalsazrisiT ki gadamwyvetia sazogadoebisa da xelisuflebis erTiani poziciis Camoyalibeba, erTiani midgoma, erTiani mesijis arseboba“, _ ganacxada prezidentma. komunikaciebis sivrceSi arsebuli gamowvevebis fonze, mniSvnelovan rols TamaSobs kiberusafrTxoeba. amis Sesaxeb forumis erT-erTma monawilem, estoneTis kiberusafrTxoebis centris direqtorma sven sakovmac isaubra: „kibersamyaro aRar aris calke arsebuli sivrce. rac saxelmwifoebs Soris kibersivrceSi xdeba, realuri msoflios amsaxveli suraTia“. dinamikuri sainformacio garemosa da usafrTxoebis axali gamowvevebis fonze, mniSvnelovania gamocdilebis gaziareba da mimdinare sainformacio omSi konkretuli strategiebis SemuSaveba, rasac swored nato-saqarTvelos saxalxo diplomatiis forumi uwyobs xels.

ნატო პროპაგანდას პროპაგანდით არ უპირისპირდება - მცდარი ინფრომაციის წინააღმდეგ ნატო-ს მთავარი მიდგომაა.

“NATO does not counter propaganda with propaganda” – is the principled approach of NATO towards disinformation.

President Margvelashvili noted that hybrid warfare and cyberattacks significantly affect the security environment in the region and that these often represent serious attempts by Russia to influence societies beyond its borders. “In this regard, the common position of society and the government is decisive”, stated the President. The growing issue of cyber security was addressed by the Director of NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, Sven Sakkov who noted: “The cyber world is not a separate world. What is happening in cyberspace between states is a reflection of real world".

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

37

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

საინფორმაციო კამპანია უვიზო მიმოსვლასთან დაკავშირებით მარიამ რაქვიაშვილი ევროპულ და ევროატლანტიკურ სტრუქტურებში ინტეგრაციის საკითხებში საქართველოს სახელმწიფო მინისტრის მოადგილე

Communicating visa free Mariam Rakviashvili the Deputy State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration

2

017 wlis 28 martidan saqarTvelos moqalaqeebs SeuZliaT, uvizod imogzauron evrokavSiris/Sengenis wevr saxelmwifoebSi. cnobilia, rom savizo reJimis liberalizaciis samoqmedo gegmis farglebSi mravali refor-

ma ganxorcielda. konkretulad ra mimarTulebiT muSaobda saqarTvelos mTavroba am Sedegis misaRwevad? evrokavSirTan uvizo reJimi namdvilad mniSvnelovani xelSesaxebi sargebelia qveynis evrointegraciis gzaze. uvizo reJimis amoqmedeba kidev erTi win gadadgmuli nabijia saqarTvelos evropul ojaxSi dabrunebis mimarTulebiT, rac xels Seuwyobs turizmis ganviTarebas, bizneskavSirebis gaRrmavebas, saganmanaTleblo da kulturuli urTierTobebis Camoyalibebas. uvizo reJimis amoqmedebamde saqarTvelos mTavrobam mravali sakanonmdeblo Tu instituciuri reforma ganaxorciela, Tumca maT Soris gamovyofdi dokumentebis usafrTxoebas, sazRvris marTvis, migraciisa da TavSesafris sakiTxebs, sazogadoebrivi wesrigisa da usafrTxoebis Temebs da adamianis ZiriTadi uflebebis dacvas. saqarTvelos moqalaqeebi ukve mogzauroben evrokavSiris/Sengenis wevr qveynebSi uvizo reJimis pirobebSi. ra aris saqarTvelos mTavrobisTvis am etapze mTavari gamowveva? evrokavSiris wevr qveynebSi uvizod mogzauroba aris is sargebeli, romelic saqarTvelos moqalaqeebma miiRes, Tumca, amavdroulad, es udidesi pasuxismgeblobaa aRniSnuli reJimis wesebis Sesrulebis mxriv. CvenTvis is etapia, romelic gulisxmobs mosaxleobasTan im uflebebisa da valdebulebebis komunikacias, rac axal realobas ukavSirdeba. amasTan, vcdilobT mosaxleobas mivawodoT informacia e. w.

SeCerebis meqanizmis Sesaxeb. rogorc iciT, mesame qveynebTan uvizo reJimis dawesebis Semdeg, evrokavSiri zedamxedvelobas uwevs mimosvlis wesebis Sesrulebas da, konkretuli pirobebis dadgomis SemTxvevaSi, ar aris gamoricxuli uvizo reJimis SeCereba. amitomac CvenTvis mniSvnelovania, rom saqarTvelos TiToeuli moqalaqe gansakuTrebuli pasuxismgeblobiT moekidos sakuTar valdebulebebs, daicvas uvizo mimosvlis wesebi da gaacnobieros, rom uvizo reJimis pirobebis darRvevis SemTxvevaSi dgeba rogorc individualuri pasuxismgebloba, ise iqmneba qveynis mimarT e. w. SeCerebis meqanizmis amoqmedebis winapiroba. swored mosaxleobis cnobierebis amaRlebis mizniT, saqarTvelos mTavroba samoqalaqo seqtorTan TanamSromlobiT axorcielebs aqtiur sainformacio kampanias.

38

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

A

s of 28 March 2017, citizens of Georgia can travel visa-free to the EU/Schengen Member States. Various reforms have been implemented within the framework of the Visa Liberalisation Action Plan – could you please tell us more about the specific

steps taken by the Government of Georgia in this direction?

The visa-free regime with the EU is a truly significant and tangible benefit of

ra konkretuli RonisZiebebi ganaxorciela saqarTvelos mTavrobam mosaxleobaSi uvizo mimosvlasTan dakavSirebiT cnobierebis amaRlebis mizniT? evrokavSiris daxmarebiT, samoqalaqo sazogadoebis aqtiuri CarTulobiTa da evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saxelmwifo ministris aparatis koordinaciiT daigegma savizo reJimis liberalizaciis sakiTxebze sainformacio kampania, romelic emsaxureba saqarTvelos moqalaqeebis informirebas maTi uflebebisa da movaleobis Sesaxeb. sainformacio kampaniis meore faza aqtiurad daiwyo 2017 wlis martSi, uvizo mimosvlis amoqmedebamde ori kviriT adre da igi moicavs mraval aqtivobas, maT Soris: centraluri da regionuli televiziebisa da radioebis saSualebiT sainformacio videorgolebis gavrcelebas, sainformacio Wrebsa da sxvadasxva tipis gasarTob-SemecnebiT gadacemebSi Temis integrirebas, sainformacio banerebisa da plakatebis ganTavsebas metrosadgurebSi, samarSruto taqsebsa da sazogadoebrivi transportis gaCerebebze, sainformacio statiebis gavrcelebas beWdur da onlainmediaSi, socialur qselebSi, yoveldRiur reJimSi mosaxleobasTan Sexvedrebs, treningebisa da seminarebis Catarebas sxvadasxva samizne jgufTan. mniSvnelovania, rom informacia iTargmneba da vrceldeba eTnikuri umciresobebis enebze (afxazuri, osuri, azerbaijanuli, somxuri da rusuli).

Could you please outline the specific activities implemented by the

bolo periodSi Catarebuli kvlevebis mixedviT, gazrdilia evrokavSirSi saqarTvelos integraciisadmi mosaxleobis mxardaWera. ukavSirebT Tu ara amas evrokavSirTan uvizo reJimis amoqmedebas? saqarTvelos evrokavSirSi integracias mosaxleobis mxridan yovelTvis didi mxardaWera hqonda, Tumca am bolo dros, marTlac, gazrdilia monacemebi, rasac araerTi kvleva adasturebs. ra Tqma unda, evrokavSirTan uvizo mimosvlis ZalaSi Sesvlam am procesSi didi roli iTamaSa, Tumca Cveni mizania, mosaxleobaSi gacnobierebuli mxardaWeris uzrunvelyofis xelSewyoba. swored amitom saqarTvelos mTavroba, samoqalaqo seqtoris aqtiuri monawileobiT, sazogadoebaSi evrokavSirsa da natoze cnobierebis asamaRleblad marTavs sxvadasxva sakomunikacio RonisZiebasa Tu sainformacio kampaniebs. aqve unda aRiniSnos „natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centris“ gansakuTrebuli roli. ukve axal SenobaSi, yoveldRiur reJimSi, centri sxvadasxva samizne jgufisTvis mravali saxis sainformacio RonisZiebas maspinZlobs. aRsaniSnavia, rom komunikaciis mimarTulebiT aprilSi saqarTvelos mTavrobam mniSvnelovani dokumenti daamtkica. kerZod, saxelmwifo ministris aparatis koordinaciiT, Sesabamisi saxelmwifo uwyebebisa da samoqalaqo seqtoris aqtiuri monawileobiT SemuSavda da damtkicda „evrokavSirsa da natoSi saqarTvelos gawevrianebis komunikaciis Sesaxeb mTavrobis strategia 2017-2020 wlebisTvis“ evrokavSirsa da natoSi gawevrianebisadmi saqarTvelos mosaxleobis maRali da gacnobierebuli mxardaWeris xelSewyoba. aseve, saqarTvelos gawevrianebis mimarT evrokavSirisa da natos wevri qveynebis mxardaWeris gazrda. arsebuli gamowvevebis gaTvaliswinebiT da mzardi antidasavluri propagandis fonze, evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebze komunikaciis mimarTulebiT samuSao jer kidev bevria. amitom mniSvnelovania, yvela CarTuli mxaris Zalebisa da SesaZleblobebis konsolidacia, raTa mosaxleobaSi evrokavSirisa da natos Sesaxeb cnobadoba gadavzardoT cnobierebaSi.

Recent polls indicate an increase in the support of the population of Georgia

Government of Georgia to raise awareness of the visa-free regime?

Through the assistance of the EU, and with the active involvement of civil society and coordination of the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, an information campaign on visa liberalization was planned and elaborated, aiming to raise awareness among the citizens of Georgia about their rights and obligations.

The second phase of the campaign was launched in March 2017, just two weeks before the visa-free travel arrangement entered into force. This stage entails various activities, including: dissemination of information video clips on central and regional television and radio stations; integration of the topic into news and different entertainment shows; placement of information banners and posters in metro stations, mini-buses and bus stations; publishing of articles in printed, online and social media; holding daily meetings with various target groups; conducting trainings and seminars with various target groups.

Furthermore, the information is translated and disseminated into the languages of ethnic minorities (Abkhazian, Ossetian, Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian).

country’s European integration path. Entry into force of the visa-free regime is another step forward for Georgia to return to its European family, which will promote development of tourism, deepen business ties, and establish educational and cultural relations.

Before the visa-free regime entered into force, the Government of Georgia had already implemented numerous legislative and institutional reforms.

However, I would like to particularly emphasize reforms related to document safety, border management, migration and asylum, public order and safety, and protection of fundamental rights.

Citizens of Georgia are already travelling visa-free to EU/Schengen Member States. What is the biggest challenge for the Government of Georgia at this stage?

Visa-free travel to most of the EU is of great benefit to the citizens of Georgia; nevertheless, it comes with a huge responsibility in terms of complying with the rules. For us, this means enhanced communication with the population on rights and obligations associated with the new regime. Furthermore, we are trying to inform the population about the so-called ‘suspension mechanism’. As you might already be aware, after establishing the visa-free regime with third countries, the EU is monitoring compliance with the terms of travel, and is entitled to trigger the ‘suspension mechanism’ clause against a country under specific conditions.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that every citizen of Georgia takes their obligations here seriously, follows the rules applicable to visa-free travel and understands that violation of these conditions shall result not only in damaging consequences for the individual but it could also be a prerequisite for triggering the ‘suspension mechanism’ for Georgia. Hence, in order to raise the awareness of the population, the Government of Georgia in cooperation with civil society is implementing an active information campaign.

toward the country’s European integration. Would you link this rise to the entering into force of visa-free travel to the EU? Georgia's integration with the European Union always had high levels of support from the population, but numbers have indeed increased recently. Obviously, visa-free travel has played a significant role in this process, but our goal is to promote awareness and support in our population. Accordingly, the Government of Georgia, with the active involvement of civil society, implements various communication activities and information campaigns in order to raise public awareness about the EU and NATO. I would like to hereby stress the role of the LEPL Information Center on NATO and EU, which hosts various information events for various target groups on a daily basis.

Furthermore, it is noteworthy that in April, the Government of Georgia adopted an important document on communication. In particular, through the coordination of the Office of the State Minister and with the active involvement of relevant government agencies and civil society, the “Communication Strategy on Georgia's Membership to the EU and NATO for 2017-2020” was adopted. The Strategy aims to facilitate public support for Georgia’s prospective membership of the EU and NATO, as well as to increase support among the EU and NATO Member States to Georgia's membership.

In light of current challenges and increasing anti-Western propaganda, a lot needs to be done regarding communications on Georgia’s European and EuroAtlantic integration. Therefore, it is important to consolidate the efforts and capabilities of all stakeholders in order to make the EU and NATO more visible across the population of Georgia.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

39

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

წინაპრების კვალდაკვალ ქეთი გომელაური საინფორმაციო კამპანიის კოორდინატორი ასოცირების შეთანხმების განხორციელების მხარდაჭერა ევროკავშირი/IBF

Following footsteps of ancestors Keti Gomelauri Information Campaign Coordinator Facility for the Implementation of the Association Agreement in Georgia European Union/IBF

~s

aqarTvelos istoria, ukanaskneli 16 saukunis, aris miswrafeba dasavleTisken“ _ nikolo miwiSvili (nikoloz sirbilaZe) erT-erTia qarTvel ganmanaTleblebs Soris, romlis sityvebiTac daviwyeT saubari saqarTvelos mosaxleobasTan. evrokavSirisa da saqarTvelos sainformacio kampania 2017 wlis 25 ianvars daiwyo da miznad isaxavda mosaxleobis informirebas saqarTvelos da evrokavSiris urTierTobebze, maT Soris politikuri da ekonomikuri dRis wesrigisa da strategiuli partniorobis Sesaxeb. aRsaniSnavia isic, rom kampaniis erT-erTi mTavari amocana iyo antidasavluri miTebis damsxvreva da informaciis gacnoba im erTiani faseulobebis Sesaxeb, romlebic evrokavSirsa da saqarTvelos gaaCniaT.

40

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

mosaxleobaSi xSirad Tavs iCens skepticizmi saqarTvelos sagareo veqtoris mimarT; TiTqos evrokavSirisken swrafva Tanamedrove saqarTvelos politikuri liderebis arCevania, romelic Tavs moaxvies qveyanas. swored amitom daviwyeT mosaxleobasTan saubari Cveni winaprebis eniT _ im qarTveli ganmanaTleblebisa da sazogado moRvaweebis eniT, romlebic saqarTvelos ganviTarebasa da gadarCenas mxolod evropasTan daaxloebaSi xedavdnen. „winaprebis kvaldakval“ _ am deviziT mimdinare sainformacio kampaniis farglebSi, saqarTvelos mosaxleobas sxvadasxva saSualebis gamoyenebiT SevaxseneT qarTvel sazogado moRvaweTa gamonaTqvamebi evropaze. pirvel etapze momzadda videoklipi, romelSic ilia WavWavaZis, nikolo miwiSvilis, geronti qiqoZis, ioseb griSaSvilisa da daviT kakabaZis STamomavlebi gadmoscemen TavianTi winaprebis gamonaTqvamebs evropis mniSvnelobis Sesaxeb. am videoklipiT saqarTvelos mosaxleobas vaCveneT, rom evropisken swrafva ar aris saqarTvelos ukanaskneli aTi, oci an Tundac ocdaaTi wlis sagareo politikis strategia, aramed, rogorc nikolo miwiSvili ambobda _ es ukanaskneli 16 saukunis miswrafebaa. am midgomis gasamyareblad, gamoCenili qarTvelebis gamonaTqvamebi ganvaTavseT sareklamo boZebze saqarTvelos ocdaSvid municipalitetSi. garda amisa, saqarTvelos masStabiT ormocdaTerTmeti regionuli Sexvedra gaimarTa mosaxleobasTan da maTSi dargis eqspertebTan erTad monawileobdnen mTavrobis warmomadgenlebi. aRniSnuli Sexvedrebisas rigdeboda sainformacio kampaniis _ „winaprebis kvaldakval“ _ amsaxveli nabeWdi atributebi, maT Soris bloknotebi, wignis saniSneebi da a. S. aseve ewyoboda zemoaRniSnuli videoklipis prezentacia da diskusia Temis garSemo. vfiqrob, Zalian gagvimarTla, rom Cveni sainformacio kampania saqarTvelos istoriisTvis iseT mniSvnelovan

“G

eorgia’s history over the past 16 centuries is but an aspiration to the West”,the quote of Nikolo Mitsishvili (Nikoloz Sirbiladze), one of the Georgian enlighteners, which we used to say our first words to the Georgian population.

The EU-Georgia information campaign was launched on 25 January 2017 in order to raise the population’s awareness of relations between Georgia and the European Union, in terms of the political and economic agendaas well as their strategic partnership. One of the key objectives of the campaign was, however, to dispel anti-Western myths and to provide insights into the common values shared by Georgia and the European Union.

One of the most widespread anti-Western myths relates to Georgia’s aspirations to join Europe. There is a certain amount of skepticism among the population about Georgia’s foreign policy vector; some people believe that aspirations toward the EU represent a strategy of contemporary Georgian politicians. While communicating with the population,we instead chose the language of our ancestors – Georgian enlighteners and public figures who believed that the only way to develop and save Georgia lay through rapprochement with Europe. “Following in the footsteps of ancestors” became a slogan of the information campaign, to refresh the memories of Georgians about what outstanding Georgian public figures once said about Europe.

At the first stage, we released a video clip in which the descendants of Ilia Chavchavadze, Nikolo Mitsishvili, Geronti Kikodze, Ioseb Grishashvili and Davit Kakabadze read out the quotes of their ancestors about the importance of Europe. With this video clip, we demonstrated to the Georgian population that Georgia’s aspirations toward Europe were not justa foreign policy goal of recent times but centuries-old approach.The quotes of these

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

41

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

movlenas daemTxva, rogoric aris saqarTvelos moqalaqeebisTvis evrokavSirisa da Sengenis zonis qveynebSi uvizod mimosvla. saqarTvelo Tavisi istoriis ganmavlobaSi evrokavSirTan ase axlos jer ar yofila. erTia, ras uyvebi moqalaqes aq, saqarTveloSi evrokavSirze, xolo meorea, rodesac mas TviTon aqvs saSualeba, imogzauros am qveynebSi da darwmundes Cvens monayolSi. sainformacio kampaniis farglebSi movamzadeT aseve sami SemecnebiTi videoklipi uvizo mimosvlis Sesaxeb. pirveli videoklipi ganmartavs, Tu ras niSnavs uvizo mimosvla, meore rgoli mosaxleobas awvdis informacias imis Sesaxeb, Tu ra aris saWiro uvizod mogzaurobisTvis, xolo mesame videoklipi akonkretebs, Tu ra sanqciebi gvelis uvizod mogzaurobis wesebis darRvevisas. mniSvnelovania, rom es videoklipebi iTargmna umciresobebis enebze, maT Soris afxazurad da osurad, da gavrcelda centraluri Tu regionuli televiziebiT, socialuri qselebis saSualebiT. sainformacio kampaniis erT-erTi mniSvnelovani amocana iyo axalgazrdebis CarTva da maTi cnobierebis amaRleba im sikeTeebisa da SesaZleblobebis Sesaxeb, rac evrokavSirTan urTierTobas moaqvs. Sesabamisad, regionuli Sexvedrebisas aucilebel samizne jgufSi moiazrebodnen skolis mowafeebi da umaRlesi saganmanaTleblo dawesebulebebis studentebi. maTi waxalisebis mizniT, sainformacio kampaniis dawyebasTan erTad, gamocxadda konkursi _ „ga-moxate evropa“, romlis farglebSic, sami Tvis ganmavlobaSi, yvela msurvels SeeZlo warmoedgina evropisadmi misi damokidebulebis amsaxveli posteri an fotosuraTi. garda amisa, regionul Sexvedrebze mosaxleobas miewodeboda informacia konkursis pirobebisa da monawileobis Sesaxeb. 2017 wlis 15 maiss gaimarTa saukeTeso namuSevrebis gamofena da gamarjvebulebis dajildoeba.

42

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

legendary Georgian figures were posted on advertising boards in 27 municipalities throughout Georgia.

Furthermore, 51 regional meetings were held with locals across the country, along with relevant experts, brought together various government officials. Participants of the meetings were handed support materials of the campaign “Following in the footsteps of ancestors”, including booklets andbookmarks, while a presentation of the video clip and discussionswere also held.

We are particularly happy that our information campaign coincidedwith a landmark event in the history of Georgia – the day when Georgians were granted visa-free travel to EU/Schengen area countries. Never before in the history of Georgia had our country been so close to the EU. Convincing Georgians about the benefits of its European path becomes easier when they can travel to Europe freely.

As part of the information campaign, we produced three video clips on visa-free travel.The first clipexplains the general rules of visa-free travel, the second clip provided information on the necessary documents and the third is about penaltiesone may face for violation of visa-free travel rules. Crucially, the video clips were translated into minority languages, including Abkhazian and Ossetian, and were disseminated via national and regional TV channels and social networks.

One of the key elements of the information campaign was engaging young people and raising their awareness of the benefits and opportunities presented by closer ties to the European Union. Schoolchildren and students of higher educational institutions were, therefore, identified as the main target groups of the regional meetings. A contest “Portray Europe” was announced as soon as the information campaign

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

gavrcelebuli skepticizmis dasamarcxeblad, romelic evrokavSiris „ukvalod“ gamqral daxmarebebs exeba, movamzadeT kidev sami videoklipi. TiToeuli sami Cveulebrivi adamianis istorias asaxavs; kerZod, Tu rogor Seicvala maTi cxovreba evrokavSiris sxvadasxva programis gamoyenebiT, romlebic xelmisawvdomia saqarTvelos yvela moqalaqisTvis. imedi gvaqvs, videoklipebis naxvis Semdeg saqarTvelos mosaxleobaSi kidev ufro gaizarda interesi evrokavSiris arsebuli instrumentebis mimarT da Sedegad, ufro meti adamiani gamoiyenebs maT ganviTarebisa da Tavisi miznebis realizaciisTvis. kampaniis bolo etapze saqarTvelos mosaxleobas SevTavazeT videoklipi, romelic asaxavs evropelebis damokidebulebas saqarTvelosa da qarTvelebis mimarT. „saqarTvelo evrokavSirisTvis“ _ es sakmaod emociuri videoklipi aravis datovebs gulgrils da konkretuli adamianebis magaliTze kidev erTxel aCvenebs, Tu ramdenad erTiania saqarTvelo da evropa Tavisi faseulobebiT. aRsaniSnavia, rom kampaniis ganxorcielebis mizniT evrokavSiris proeqtis _ „asocirebis SeTanxmebis mxardaWera saqarTveloSi“ _ farglebSi, agreTve evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saxelmwifo ministris aparatis mier, Ria konkursis Sedegad, SeirCa kompania „metro“ (JWT Metro), cnobili Tavisi SemoqmedebiTa da xarisxiT, romelmac saintereso midgomebi da gadawyveta SemogvTavaza mosaxleobasTan komunikaciis warsamarTad. didi imedi gvaqvs, rom am sainformacio kampaniiT mniSvnelovani safuZveli SevuqmeniT mosaxleobasTan dialogis gasagrZeleblad _ rogorc saqarTvelos mTavrobas, ise evrokavSirs. Zalze mniSvnelovania, saqarTvelos evropuli momavali mosaxleobis informirebuli arCevani da gadawyvetileba iyos.

was launched, to further boost the participation of young people. Contestants were invited to present posters or photos within a period of three months portraying their attitudes toward Europe. An exhibition of the winning images and an awards ceremony were held on 15 May 2017.

In order to counter skepticism about EU assistance, we filmed three video clips depicting the story of three ordinary people and how their lives were changed thanks to EU programs, which are accessible to every citizen of Georgia. We hope these video clips boosted interest in the EU instruments, and that an increasing number of people will use them toachieve their goals.

At the end of the campaign, we presented a video clip depicting Europeans’ attitudes toward Georgia and Georgians. “Georgia for the European Union” is an emotional video clip,which clearly depicts how everyday citizens of European countries consider Georgia an inseparable part of Europe.

JWT Metro was selected to plan the information campaign through a contest and after a joint decision by the project “Facility for the Implementation of the Association Agreement in Georgia” and the Office of the State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration. JWT Metro is a company famous for its creative solutions, which puts forward an array of interesting approaches to communicating with the population of Georgia.

We very much hope that the information campaign we have conducted creates a solid basis from which to continue dialogue with the population. Both the Government of Georgia and the European Union are striving to ensure that the Georgian people make an informed decision about the European future of Georgia.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

43

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

ევროპის დღეები 2017 Europe Days 2017

n

atosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centrma saqarTveloSi maisi evropis Tved aqcia. yovelwliur RonisZiebaTa cikli „evropis dReebi“ ukve mexuTed gaimarTa. wlevandel RonisZiebebs laitmotivad gasdevda evrokavSirTan gaxsnili axali SesaZlebloba _ evrokavSiris/Sengenis qveynebSi uvizod mimosvla.

SevegeboT axal SesaZleblobebs _ am sloganiT gaixsna wels, 7 maiss, evropis dReebi riyis parkSi. natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centris karavi mTeli dRis ganmavlobaSi maspinZlobda stumrebs da simulaciuri TamaSiT maT evrokavSirSi uvizod mogzaurobis wesebs acnobda _ rogor unda isargeblon evrokavSirTan gaxsnili axali SesaZleblobiT da ra saxis dokumentebi unda waradginon sazRvarze. wlevandeli evropis dReebi moqalaqeTa CarTulobis zrdiTa da masStaburi aqtivobebiT gamoirCeoda. RonisZiebaTa cikli 25 maisamde gagrZelda da man dedaqalaqis garda 30-mde municipaliteti moi-

44

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

T

he Information Center on NATO and EU dedicated the month of May to Europe in Georgia. The annual cycle of events “Europe Days” was held for the fifth time, with the main theme being the new opportunities available within the European Union following the granting of visa-free travel to the EU/Schengen countries.

Let's Meet the New Opportunities was the slogan of Europe Days, the celebration of which kicked off on 7 May, in Rike Park, Tbilisi. The Information Center on NATO and EU set up a tent where they hosted guests during the day and introduced them to the rules of visa-free travel to the majority of the EU through a simulation game which demonstrated what kind of documents might be requested at border check-points, among other things.

This year’s Europe Days saw an increase in both the number of participants and the scale of activities. The cycle of events continued until 25 May and encompassed up to 30 municipalities along with the capital city. In total, more than 80 events were held, and around 7800 people took part.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

45

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია cva. mTlianobaSi, 80-ze meti RonisZieba gaimarTa, romlebSic 7 800-ze meti moqalaqe monawileobda. evropis dReebis wlevandeli auditoriac farTo da mravalferovani iyo. RonisZiebebSi CarTulma axalgazrdebma, maswavleblebma, fermerebma, regionebis mosaxleobam, sajaro moxeleebma, eTnikuri umciresobebis warmomadgenlebma miiRes informacia evrokavSirze, saqarTvelos evropuli integraciis procesze da masTan dakavSirebul sargebelze. evropis dReebis mravalferovani RonisZiebebi siaxleebiTac gamoirCeoda: sainformacio centris SenobaSi mxatvarma qeTi matabelma qarTuli da evropuli miTebis, legendebis, Tqmulebebisa Tu zRaprebis Temaze Seqmnili saxviTi da gamoyenebiTi xelovnebis eqskluziuri namuSevrebi warmoadgina, romlebic SexebiT, sinaTlisa da xmis efeqtebiT aRqmadi iyo SezRuduli SesaZleblobebis mqone pirebisTvis, maT Soris mcired mxedvelebisa da usinaTloebisTvis; TbilisSi gaimarTa seminari saqarTvelos 50-mde municipalitetisa da sakrebulos xelmZRvanelebisTvis; samoyvarulo velogarbenma erTi dRiT gaaerTiana velomoyvarulebi Tbilissa da baTumSi da janmrTeli cxovrebis popularizacias Seuwyo xeli; sainformacio centrma saokupacio xazis gaswvriv mdebare soflebidan, aseve, sxvadasxva regionidan 200-ze met moswavlesa da maswavlebels umaspinZla; aseve, profesiuli saswavleblebis pedagogebi gamocdilebis gaziarebis mizniT erTkviriani saswavlo vizitiT slovakeTSi gaemgzavrnen. evropis dReebis farglebSi, evrokavSiris wevri qveynebis elCebi Sef-mzareulis ampluaSic gavicaniT, roca kulinariis akademiaSi nacionaluri kerZebi Tavad moamzades. es im RonisZiebaTa mxolod mcire CamonaTvalia, romlebic evropis dReebis farglebSi wels moewyo. evropis dReebi saqarTveloSi natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centris organizebiTa da evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saxelmwifo ministris aparatis mxardaWeriT gaimarTa. sainformacio centri natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

Europe Days drew a diverse audience which included youth, teachers, farmers, people living in rural areas, local public officials, as well as representatives of ethnic minorities, all of whom learned more about the European Union, Georgia’s European integration and the benefits deriving therefrom.

The comprehensive events of Europe Days 2017 included some of the following novelties: at the premises of the Information Center, artist Keti Matabeli exhibited her exclusive works of fine and applied arts created on the theme of Georgian and European myths, legends, and fairy tales with special measures in place to ensure people with disabilities, including the blind, could take part; seminars for the heads of about 50 municipalities and city councils were held in Tbilisi; amateur bicycle races united bikelovers of Tbilisi and Batumi for a day, promoting a healthy lifestyle; the Information Center hosted over 200 students and teachers from the villages along the occupation line, as well as from different regions; and community college professors participated in a study visit to the Slovak Republic for purposes of experience sharing. Through Europe Days, we got to know the culinary skills of ambassadors of several EU Member States as they prepared Georgian national dishes at the Culinary Academy. With such a plethora of interesting events, it would be impossible to list them all in this article, but more about Europe Days can be found at www.infocenter.gov.ge Europe Days in Georgia was organized by the Information Center on NATO and EU with the support of the Office of the State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

Information Center on NATO and EU

46

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

47

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

ნატოს დღეები საქართველოში

NATO Days in Georgia

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

49

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

60

-mde RonisZieba da daaxloebiT 3600-iT meti saqarTvelos moqalaqe, romlebmac natos miznebis, amocanebis, nato-saqarTvelos TanamSromlobisa da am procesis mniSvnelobis Sesaxeb dRes ufro meti ician _ es 2017 wlis natos dReebia saqarTveloSi! natos dReebi saqarTveloSi ssip „natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centris“ organizebiT ukve meaTe welia aRiniSneba. wlevandeli RonisZiebebi siaxleebiTa da mravalferovnebiT gamoirCeoda. Tavisuflebis moedanze mdebare sainformacio centris axalma ofisma natos dReebis gaxsnas pirvelad umaspinZla. Ria karis dReze Tqven naxavdiT posterebis gamofenas natos Temaze, teqnologiebis kuTxes, Teatralur warmodgenas, samxedro inventaris gamoyenebiT gadaiRebdiT fotoebs, romelTa damuSavebis Semdegac sxvadasxva saerTaSoriso samxedro misiis monawiled aRmoaCendiT Tavs, SexvdebodiT „momavlis adamianebs“, CaerTvebodiT sainformacio centrSi warmodgenili sxvadasxva uwyebis gasarTob-SemecnebiT aqtivobebSi. „SeNs qalAqs dauTOve“ _ ase ewoda axal proeqts, romlis farglebSic natoze Seqmnili eskizebiT saqarTvelos aTi qalaqi moixata. siaxles warmoadgenda

W

ith up to 60 events and more than 3600 citizens of Georgia taking part to learn more about NATO's goals, objectives, NATO-Georgia cooperation and the significance of this process, NATO Days 2017 in Georgia was a resounding success.

This year, the LEPL Information Center on NATO and EU celebrated NATO Days in Georgia for the tenth time.

The events of NATO Days 2017 were notable for their novelty and diversity. The new premises of the Information Center on Tbilisi’sFreedom Square hosted the opening of NATO Days on April 2. At an open day at the Center,visitors could enjoy the following:anexhibition of posters on the topic of NATO; technology corner;and theatricalperformance.They could also take photographs in military vehicles or attire and, after processing the images, they would find themselves plantedin various international military missions.Visitors could also meet “people of the future”, and try out the entertainment and cognitive activities of various agencies presented at the Information Center.

“Leave it to Your City” („შეNს ქალAქს დაუTOვე“)is the title of a new project where by ten Georgian cities were painted with sketches on NATO. The project “NATO on Line” provided interested persons with an opportunity to hear from high-level officials from NATO Headquarters live and to engage with them in discussions, which was a treasured experience for many. Journalists also participated in NATO Days, where they had the chance to put on a soldier’s uniform and serve in the Georgian military for a day. Teachers from villages along the occupation line were also involved in NATO Daysthrough a2-dayvisit to Tbilisi to learn more about NATO. As part of NATO Days, various activities were held in Tbilisi as well as in different regions of Georgia,including:Open Dayat the Parliament of Georgia;school visits from the regions of Georgia to Tbilisi; public lectures; information meetings; intellectual games;and a mini-football tournament called the “NATO Cup” involving the participation of representatives from ministries, media and diplomatic corps.

50

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

proeqti „xazzea nato“, romelmac yvela dainteresebul pirs misca SesaZlebloba, pirdapir eTerSi moesmina natos Stab-binidan maRali donis warmomadgenlebisTvis da maTTan diskusiaSi CarTuliyo. natos dReebSi Jurnalistebic monawileobdnen, romlebmac jariskacis forma moirges da saqarTvelos samxedro samsaxurSi erTi dRe gaatares. yuradRebis miRma ar darCenilan maswavleblebi saokupacio xazis gaswvriv mdebare soflebidan, romlebic Tbiliss ori dRiT estumrnen da natos Sesaxeb miiRes informacia. natos dReebis farglebSi TbilisSi, iseve rogorc regionebSi sxvadasxva mniSvnelovani RonisZieba gaimarTa, maT Soris: Ria karis dRe parlamentSi, regionidan moswavleebis saswavlo viziti TbilisSi, sajaro leqciebi, sainformacio Sexvedrebi, inteleqtualuri TamaSebi, turniri mini-fexburTSi _ „natos Tasi“ saministros, mediisa da diplomatiuri korpusis warmomadgenlebis monawileobiT. amasTan, sagareo saqmeTa ministri, mixeil janeliZe da natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centris direqtori, nino bolqvaZe im skolis moswavleebsa da pedagogebs estumrnen, sadac Tavad swavlobdnen da saqarTvelos evroatlantikur integraciaze isaubres. wlevandeli natos dReebi nato-saqarTvelos saxalxo diplomatiis forumiT dasrulda, romelmac strategiuli komunikaciebis sakiTxebsa da antidasavlur propagandasTan brZolis meTodebze sasaubrod maRali donis saerTaSoriso eqspertebi, samTavrobo da arasamTavrobo seqtoris warmomadgenlebi Sekriba. natos dReebi `ssip natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centris~ organizebiT, evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saxelmwifo ministris aparatis, saqarTveloSi natos sakontaqto saelCos _ bulgareTis saelCosa da saqarTveloSi natos samekavSireo ofisis mxardaWeriT ganxorcielda.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mikheil Janelidze and the Director of the Information Center on NATO and EU, Nino Bolkvadze paid a visit to their alma maters and discussed Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration with students and teachers alike.

NATO Days concluded with the NATO-Georgia Public Diplomacy Forum which welcomed high-level international experts, and representatives of government and non-governmental organizations to discuss strategic communications and methods to counter antiWestern propaganda.

NATO days were organized by the Information Center on NATO and EU, the Office of the State Minister on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, through the support of NATO’s Contact Point Embassy in Georgia,the Embassy of Bulgaria, and the NATO Liaison Office in Georgia.

Information Center on NATO and EU

sainformacio centri natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

51

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

საქართველოს რეგიონების ადგილობრივი თვითმმართველობების წარმომადგენელთა ვიზიტი ბრიუსელში Georgian Local Government Officials Meet NATO and EU Representatives in Brussels

1

8-21 ivniss, evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saqarTvelos saxelmwifo ministris aparatis organizebiTa da migraciis politikis ganviTarebis saerTaSoriso centris mxardaWeriT, saqarTvelos regionebis adgilobrivi TviTmmarTvelobebis warmomadgenlebi samuSao vizitiT imyofebodnen q. briuselSi, belgiis samefoSi. vizitis farglebSi, qarTuli delegaciis wevrebi Sexvdnen natos politikuri sakiTxebisa da usafrTxoebis sammarTvelos warmomadgenels Stefen elgersmass, natos generaluri mdivnis ofisis mrCevels qalTa, mSvidobisa da usafrTxoebis

52

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

O

n 18-21 June, the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, with the support of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), conducted a working visit to Brussels, Belgium for local government representatives of various regions of Georgia.

During the visit, meetings were held with the following figures: Steffen Elgersma of the Political Affairs and Security Policy Division at NATO; Hildur Sigurðardóttir,

Strategic Communication | სტრატეგიული კომუნიკაცია

sakiTxebSi hildur zigurdardotirs, evrokavSiris sagareo qmedebaTa samsaxuris aRmosavleT strategiuli komunikaciis jgufis komunikaciebis oficers aneli kimbers da umaRlesi warmomadgenlis mrCevels genderis sakiTxebSi mara marinakiss, evropis regionuli komitetis prezidentis ofisis warmomadgenels filipe teruzos, aseve, evrokomisiis samezoblo politikisa da gafarToebis sakiTxebSi generaluri direqtoratis aRmosavleT samezoblos sammarTvelos direqtors lourens meredits.

Sexvedrebze natosa da evrokavSiris institutebis warmomadgenlebma isaubres saqarTvelos mier evropuli da evroatlantikuri integraciis procesSi miRweul progresze da dadebiTad Seafases qveyanaSi demokratiuli reformebis ganxorcielebis procesi. yuradReba gamaxvilda evroatlantikuri integraciis, adgilobrivi TviTmmarTvelobis, soflis meurneobis, regionuli, maT Soris, infrastruqturuli ganviTarebisa da genderuli Tanasworobis sakiTxebze. amasTan, xazgasmiT aRiniSna evrointegraciis procesSi mosaxleobis informirebulobisa da monawileobis mniSvneloba. vizitis Semajamebel Sexvedraze delegaciis wevrebs umaspinZles belgiis samefosa da luqsemburgis did sahercogoSi saqarTvelos sagangebo da sruluflebianma elCma/evrokavSirSi saqarTvelos misiis xelmZRvanelma natalia sabanaZem da natosTan saqarTvelos misiis xelmZRvanelma aleqsandre maisuraZem.

Gender Adviser at NATO RS HQ; Anneli Kimber, Strategic Communications Officer of the European External Action Service; Mara Marinaki, Principal Adviser on Gender and on the implementation of UNSCR1325 at the European External Action Service; Filippo Terruso, administrator in the European Committee of Regions; and Lawrence Meredith, Head of Unit for Kosovo within the European Commission.

During these meetings, the representatives of NATO and EU institutions discussed the progress made by Georgia in the process of its European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and they all praised the democratic reforms that had been implemented in the country. Particular attention was given to the issues of Euro-Atlantic integration, local governance, regional development, and infrastructure and gender equality. The significance of the awareness and engagement of the population in the processes of European integration was underlined at each of the meetings.

The final meeting of the delegation was hosted by Natalie Sabanadze, Georgian Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, and Alexander Maisuradze, Head of the Mission of Georgia to NATO.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

53

Tourism | ტურიზმი

ბათუმი

ევროპული ქალაქი შავიზღვისპირეთში

Batumi European City

სულხან ღლონტი აჭარის ავტონომიური რესპუბლიკის მთავრობის ტურიზმისა და კურორტების დეპარტამენტის თავმჯდომარე

Sulkhan Glonti Chairman of Tourism and Resorts Department, Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara

on the Black Sea Coast

54

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

55

Tourism | ტურიზმი

a

Wara _ saqarTvelos erT-erTi yvelaze mimzidveli da mzardi turistuli potencialis mqone regioni gamoirCeva mdidari ekosistemiT, ganumeoreblad lamazi mTiani landSaftiTa da sazRvao kurortebiT. igi dRiTi dRe popularuli xdeba saerTaSoriso turistul bazrebze da mniSvnelovani turistuli mimarTulebis adgils imkvidrebs. baTumi _ aWaris regionis gamorCeulad lamazi qalaqi odiTganve cnobili iyo TviTmyofadi silamaziT, evropuli arqiteqturuli dagegmarebiTa da nimuSebiT, kolorituli adgilebiTa da saintereso adamianebiT. avtonomiuri respublikis dedaqalaqi gansakuTrebul xibls matebs aWaras. baTumi udidesi kontrastebis qalaqia _ saukuneebis ganmavlobaSi erTmaneTis gverdigverd mSvidobianad Tanacxovrobs ramdenime religia Tu eTnosi, Tanamedrove da Zveli arqiteqturuli RirsSesaniSnaobebi, mTisa da zRvis Tvalwarmtaci peizaJebi, plaJis farTo promenada da qvafeniliani viwro quCebi, mravalsarTuliani saxlebi da baTumuri mravalferovani, xmauriani patara ezoebi. baTumis ganviTarebis istoria ramdenime saukunes iTvlis. pirveli cnobebi qalaqis Sesaxeb antikuri xanis berZen geografebTan gvxvdeba. qarTveli moRvawe

56

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

Tourism | ტურიზმი

T

he Georgian region of Adjara boasts a diverse eco-system, outstandingly beautiful mountain landscapes and beach resorts. It is hardly surprising then that it is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination.

The main city of the region is distinctively beautiful Batumi, with its European architectural designs and sights, prominent spots and interesting people, adding a special charm to Adjara.

Batumi is a city of great contrasts where people of different religions and ethnicities have been living together for centuries. It is a city of modern and old architecture, picturesque mountains and sea landscapes, a beach with wide promenade and rocky narrow streets, tall skyscrapers and noisy, diverse yards.

Batumi’s history of development dates back centuries. The first records of the city were kept by ancient Greek geographers.

Meanwhile, Vakhushti Batonishvili, Georgian geographer, historian and cartographer, notes that Batumi was known for its amazing citadel back in the 18th century.

The development of Batumi began to accelerate in the 19th century when it was granted the status of Porto Franco, enabling the city to establish itself as a growing economic and political location on the world map.

vaxuSti batoniSvili ki aRniSnavs, rom XVIII saukuneSi baTums ukve saucxoo citadeli hqonda. baTumis swrafi ganviTareba XIX saukunidan daiwyo, roca mas porto frankos statusi mieniWa. es faqti gardamtexi aRmoCnda da baTumi msoflio rukaze damkvidrda rogorc mzardi ekonomikuri da politikuri mniSvnelobis qalaqi.

1878-1886 wlebSi baTumi msoflio mniSvnelobis mewarmeebis saqmianobis mTavar centrad iqca. baTumis portis saxels ukavSirdeba Zmebi nobelebis, rotSildebisa da rokfelerebis saxelebi, romlebmac msoflio industriaSi Tav-Tavisi saTqmeli Tqves. Tavisufalma ekonomikurma zonam da msxvilma biznesinteresebma baTumi amierkavkasiis erT-erT mniSvnelovan politikur centrad aqcia. im droisTvis aq arsebuli amerikisa da wamyvani evropuli qveynebis saelCoebi mniSvnelovan rols asrulebdnen regionis cxovrebaSi. baTumi turistuladac mimzidveli gaxda. daiwyo quCebis evropuli arqiteqturis Sesabamisad dagegmareba, germanelma mebaRem reslerma da Semdgom ki frangma d’alfonsma safuZveli Cauyares baTumis bulvaris mSeneblobas, romelic Tavisi mniSvnelobiT unikaluria da turistebis erT-erT sayvarel adgils warmoadgens.

შავი ზღვის რეგიონში ბათუმს მთავარი ტურისტული ქალაქის ამბიცია გააჩნია და სავსებით საფუძვლიანადაც.

Batumi holds ambitions to become the main tourist city of the whole Black Sea region.

In the period of 1878-1886, Batumi became the main business hub of some world-renowned entrepreneurs. Indeed, the Noble brothers, Rothschilds and Rockefellers, who made a crucial impact on global industry, are associated with Batumi port. The free market economy and big business interests turned Batumi into one of the most important political centers of Transcaucasia, while the embassies of North American and leading European countries also played important roles in the advancement of the region.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

57

Tourism Culture | ტურიზმი

Tourism | ტურიზმი

კულტურა mas Semdeg didi dro gavida; qalaqs Tavisi saintereso cxovrebis arc erT etapze ar Seuwyvetia ganviTareba. yvela epoqaSi is mniSvnelovan rols TamaSobda regionis cxovrebaSi. dRes, rodesac aWaris regionSi asiaTasobiT turisti Camodis da maTi ricxvi yovelwliurad matulobs, Savi zRis regionSi baTums mTavari turistuli qalaqis ambicia gaaCnia, da savsebiT safuZvlianadac. sazRvao infrastruqtura, saerTaSoriso brenduli sastumroebi da adgilobrivi koxta hostelebi, baTumis delfinariumi da sabagiro, saidanac ulamazesi panoramuli xedebi iSleba, baTumis Zveli da axali bulvari, piaca, myudro kafeebi da cocxali musika baTumis yoveldRiur cxovrebas gansakuTrebul romantikul elfers sZens.

Savi zRvis sanapirosTan mdebare es ulamazesi qalaqi arqiteqturiT, moednebiT, quCebiTa da kolorituli adgilebiT Zveli da Tanamedrove saqarTvelos yvelaze TvalsaCino magaliTia. baTumis kidev erTi ambiciaa, iyos regionis kulturuli centri. mTeli wlis ganmavlobaSi aq sxvadasxva festivali, kulturuli Tu gasarTobi RonisZieba imarTeba. maTgan yvelaze masStaburi baTumis Savi zRvis jazfestivalia, romelic wels meTerTmeted imarTeba da tradiciulad jazisa da bluzis msoflio varskvlavebs maspinZlobs.

58

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

At around the same time, Batumi became an attractive tourist destination. Its streets began to embrace European architecture; Prussian gardener Ressler, and then his French counterpart D'Alphonse, laid the foundations for the stunning Batumi Boulevard.

Much time has passed since then but the development of the city has not stopped at any stage of its interesting life. In every era, the city played an important role in the life of the region.

Today, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Adjara annually and Batumi holds ambitions to become the main tourist city of the whole Black Sea region.

Visitors are drawn to Batumi for a wide variety of reasons. Whether it be the dolphinarium, the cable car to Anuria Mountain from which the views are unforgettable, or the resplendent Piazza square and its cozy cafes and romantic ambience, there is something for everyone in Batumi.

This beautiful city on the Black Sea shore is one of the most remarkable examples of ancient and modern Georgia with its architecture, squares, streets and picturesque landscapes.

qalaqSi ganviTarebulma infrastruqturam da kulturulma RonisZiebebma baTumi kidev ufro mimzidveli gaxada saerTaSoriso bazrebze. baTumis popularobas mniSvnelovanwilad xels uwyobs is marketinguli da sainformacio kampaniebi, romlebsac aWaris turizmisa da kurortebis departamenti bolo wlebia intensiurad axorcielebs. gansakuTrebul masStabs ki 2017 wels miaRwia, roca samizned 16 qveyana SeirCa. maT Sorisaa: germania, baltiispireTis samive qveyana, poloneTi, aRmosavleTis qveynebi da israeli. Sesabamisad, izrdeba baTumis aeroportSi frenebis raodenobac. mxolod mimdinare wels ukve arsebul 18 aviakompanias daemata kidev 7 axali, maT Soris poloneTidan, dubaidan da beiruTidan. yvela es faqti naTlad gvagrZnobinebs baTumis turistuli potencialis amouwurav SesaZleblobebs. qalaqi gansakuTrebuli auriT gamoirCeva. baTumi uyvarT da baTumSi Camosvlaze ocneboben, baTumi enatrebaT aqaurTa gamorCeulad Tbili xasiaTis gamo. swored amitom aris baTumi ganumeorebeli qalaqi, romelic yvelaze lamaz mogonebebTan gvakavSirebs.

Batumi hosts various festivals, cultural and entertainment events, the largest of which is the Black Sea Jazz Festival, being held for the eleventh time this year and traditionally showcasing some of the world’s biggest stars of jazz and blues, such as George Clinton, Quincy Jones, Lauren hill and etc.

Infrastructural development and cultural events have made Batumi more attractive and popular internationally. Batumi’s reputation is largely promoted by marketing and PR campaigns devotedly implemented by the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Adjara. The city is also more accessible than ever now. This year, seven new airlines have added Batumi to their schedules, taking the total number of airlines to 25.

Batumi’s tourism potential is vivid for all to see.

Batumi has a special and distinct energy - people love to visit the city and miss its unique warmth when they leave.

Beyond its tourism goals, Batumi has another ambition - to become the cultural center of the region. Throughout the year,

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

59

Culture |

Culture | კულტურა

კულტურა

ნუ გამოვტოვებთ აბრებს ანუ დიუმას ნაკვალევზე გიორგი კეკელიძე საქართველოს პარლამენტის ეროვნული ბიბლიოთეკის გენერალური დირექტორი

Pay Attention to the Signs or in the Footsteps of Dumas Giorgi Kekelidze General Director of the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia

e

s filmi CemTvis axali gamocdileba iyo. gagikvirdebaT da, mTavari gmiris rols naklebad vgulisxmob, Tumc, kacma rom Tqvas, arc umagisobaa. mTavari is ambebia, rac gadamReb jgufTan erTad sofel-sofel Tu qalaqidan qalaqSi xetialisas Sevityve. ambebi, romlebic ase axlos trialebda, yoveldRiuri da Tval-xelSesaxebi moCanda, da mainc Zalian cota gvcodnia. Cems mSobliur guriaSi, CxakauraSi sakalmaxe manamdec minaxavs, magram Tvali ascdenia abras, rom es evrokavSiris daxmarebiT keTdeba; quTaisur specialur nagvis bunkerebTanac Camivlia, magram arc iq vicodi evropuli fulis Sesaxeb. engurhesi, gzebi, ekosakvebi da ra aRar. mokled, sul abrebis bralia. ufro sworad, maTi SeumCnevlobis. am dokumenturi noveliT es abrebi ufro cxadi gaxda.

Cven, erTi mxriv, im gzaze gaviareT, sadac diumam datova kvali da, meore mxriv, axali gzis konturebic movniSneT. es ukan dabrunebis gzaa. da am gzaze siarulisas advilad xvdebi imas, rac erTi SexedviT TiTqos martivia _ evropa niSnavs im veqtors, romelic airCies rusTavelma, sulxan-sabam, ilia WavWavaZem _ es kulturuli identobis nawilia da ar gamoricxavs, rom saqarTvelo saqarTvelo iyo, iseve rogorc saberZneTi iyo saberZneTi _ iyo, aris da iqneba. evropa niSnavs Tavisuflebisken swrafvas sakuTari sazRvrebis SenarCunebiT. evropa niSnavs qristianobas, adamianis gapirovnebis ideas _ amitomac virCevT evropas Cven. evropa niSnavs SenarCunebul tradiciebs da gaziarebul progress, im qarTvel glexs, soflebSi rom gvxvdeboda da TviTon gviyveboda sikeTeebze, rac amgvar kavSirs moaqvs. kavSirs, romelic samyaros centrSi adamians ayenebs. mTeli filmi adamianze Txrobaa. warmatebul, Rirseul yofaze. imaze, rasac ukan dabruneba gviqadis. amitomac, naxeT filmi, gauyeviT diumas nakvalevs da SeamCnieT abrebi.

60

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

T

his movie was a whole new experience for me. Surprisingly, assuming the role of lead actor was not what felt new. What struck me most were the stories I learned while wandering from village to village, city to city, with the film crew: the stories that were so close to us, happening every day, visible and tangible, were still new to us. In my native Guria, I’d seen the trout pond of Chkhaakura before but had never noticed the sign saying that it was built with the assistance of the European Union; I have also passed by the special trash can in Kutaisi many times, but had never realized its connection with EU funding. Enguri Dam, roads, eco-food and many more… In

short, the signs, and their lack of visibility, are to blame for this ignorance.

This documentary made those signs more apparent. On the one hand, we followed in the footsteps of Alexandre Dumas and, on the other hand, we embarked on a new road. This is the way back. And, while walking on this route one can easily –see that Europe was the favored choice of Rustaveli, Sulkhan-Saba, and Ilia Chavchavadze - this is part of our cultural identity and does not preclude Georgia from being Georgia, just as it does not stop Greece from being Greece. The European path means to

pursue freedom while retaining our own borders. Europe means preserving traditions and shared progress; a Georgian peasant from a village, told us about the benefits that this kind of Union brings, namely putting humans above all.

The movie is a story about a human being, his worth and success, which he will reclaim by going back.

So, watch the film, follow in the footsteps of Dumas and pay attention to the signs.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

61

Culture | კულტურა

მზე დასავლეთიდან ამოდის გიორგი საბანაძე Nova Societas-ის აღმასრულებელი დირექტორი

The Sun Rises in the West Giorgi Sabanadze Nova Societas, Executive Director

m

e davibade 1983 wels, rodesac Cemi samSoblo _ sabWoTa saqarTvelo, georgievskis traqtatis xelmoweridan 200 wlisTavs aRniSnavda. saiubileo wels Tbilisidan yazbegamde araerTi Zegli aRimarTa da ganaxlda. saqarTvelos ssr kompartiis centraluri komitetis pirvel mdivans, amxanag eduard SevardnaZes, e. w. samxedro gza am aRmSeneblobiTi proeqtisTvis SemTxveviT ar SeurCevia.

Zeglebis adgilmdebareoba ganpirobebuli iyo totalitaruli sistemis ideologizebuli astronomiuli

62

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

I

was born in 1983 during which year Soviet Georgia was celebrating the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Georgievsk Treaty. Several monuments were erected along the Georgian Military Highway from Tbilisi to Kazbegi (Stepantsminda).

The positioning of these monuments, selected by Comrade Eduard Shevardnadze who in 1983 was the first secretary of the Georgian Communist Party, was quite deliberate. The party’s preference was determined by the ideological and astronomical perceptions of the totalitarian regime: “Our genuine sun did not rise in the East. Our sun rose in the North. The sun of Lenin’s ideas sparkled from Russia.

warmodgenebiT: „Cveni WeSmariti mze aRmosavleTidan ki ara, CrdiloeTidan, ruseTidan amobrwyinda, amobrwyinda leninuri ideebis mze, saqarTvelo samxreTis Tbili respublikaa, magram WeSmariti siTbo CvenTan Semovida CrdiloeTidan, darialis xeobidan“.

1983 wlis monumentebs Soris gamorCeuli iyo ruseT-saqarTvelos sazRvarze, mdinare Tergis piras aRmarTuli kompozicia „Tergdaleulebi“. rogorc Cans, ideis avtoris CanafiqriT, CrdiloeTidan amosul mzis sxivebs, upirveles yovlisa, unda gaeTbo

Georgia is a warm republic of the South but the genuine warmth came to us from the North, from the Dariali Gorge.”

Of the numerous monuments erected in 1983, the most distinctive was the Tergdaleulebi composition which was built on the border between Georgia and Russia (the term Tergdaleulebi literally means “those who have drunk the waters of the river Terek”, essentially meaning those who studied in Russia). Evidently, the authors wanted the sun of the North to firstly warm “the wonderful pleiad of the progressive Georgian intelligentsia who were educated in Russia

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

63

Culture |

Culture | კულტურა

კულტურა „progresuli inteligenciis im axalgazrda warmomadgenelTa SesaniSnavi pleada, romlebmac ruseTSi miiRes umaRlesi ganaTleba da codnasTan erTad Seisisxlxorces im drois revoluciuri ideebi“ (e. SevardnaZe, 1983 wlis 29 oqtomberi). sxvaTa Soris, monuments didi xnis sicocxle ar ewera. ganrisxebulma Tergma jer vaJa-fSavela moswyvita „pleadas“ (an, gnebavT, ganrisxebuli vaJa-fSavela pirveli moswyda kompozicias da gadaeSva TergSi), Semdeg ki, roca darCenilebi (ilia WavWavaZe, akaki wereTeli, niko nikolaZe, iakob gogebaSvili, giorgi wereTeli da aleqsandre yazbegi) aRar iyvnen saWironi qarTuli social-demokratiuli ideebis Rrma fesvebis arsebobis dasamtkiceblad, isinic gaurkveveli mimarTulebiT waiRes. astronomia ar iyo mecnierebis is sfero, romelic sabWoTa reJimis politikurma amocanebma yvelaze ufro daazarala. civi omisa da gamalebuli SeiaraRebis pirobebSi sabWoTa imperias zusti da sabunebismetyvelo mecnierebebis ganviTareba upirobod sWirdeboda. imaves ver vityviT socialursa da humanitarul mecnierebebze, romelTa erTaderTi daniSnuleba iyo sabWoTa kavSiris SigniT sabWoTa sistemis legitimacia. socialuri da humanitaruli mecnierebebisTvis mxolod da mxolod propagandistuli funqciis datovebis Sedegad mecxramete saukunis saqarTvelos inteleqtualebi gamocxaddnen saqarTvelos komunistebis saamayo winamorbedebad, romelTa moRvaweoba, eduard SevardnaZis mier 1983 wels gamoTqmuli azris Tanaxmad, „adasturebs: ruseTsa da saqarTvelos erTi gza aqvT. ase aris, ase iyo da ase iqneba mudam“. sabWoTa kavSiris daSlis Semdeg suraTi Seicvala. totalitarizmma, romlis pirobebSi mecxramete saukunis qarTvel inteleqtualTa memkvidreobis gaazreba mxolod erTi perspeqtividan iyo SesaZlebeli, adgili dauTmo gansxvavebuli faseulobebis irgvliv Semokrebil jgufebs, romlebic Tergispira „raSmorze“ Tavmoyrili „damfuZnebeli mamebis“ avtoritetsa da inteleqtualur memkvidreobas TavianTi Sexedulebebis dacvisa da dasabuTebisTvis iyeneben. magaliTisTvis: sxvadasxva jgufis warmomadgenlebi ilia WavWavaZes warmogvidgenen rogorc erT-erT pirvel qarTvel socialists, liberals, memarjvenes, konservators an wmindans. mas Semdeg, rac 2010-ian wlebSi saqarTveloSi da, zogadad, aRmosavleT evropaSi gansakuTrebiT gaZlierda mizanmimarTuli antidasavluri propaganda, mecxramete saukunis inteleqtualebis avtoritetsa da memkvidreobas sul ufro xSirad iyeneben antievropul diskursSi. sasaciloa, radgan mecxramete saukunis presaSi (xSir SemTxvevaSi erTaderTi wyaro, saidanac im periodis inteleqtualuri elitis Sexedulebebs vigebT) saerTod ar gvxvdeba antidasavluri sentimentaluri ganwyobilebebi. metic, mecxramete saukunis saqarTvelos inteleqtuale-

64

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

and together with knowledge were imbued with the revolutionary ideas of that time” (Eduard Shevardnadze, 29 October 1983).

This monumental composition, however, lacked staying power. The first casualty was the monument of Vazha-Pshavela who was riven from the rest of the “pleiad” by the raging Terek (or, perhaps, the enraged Vazha-Pshavela was first to rive himself from the rest of the composition and drowned in the Terek). Later, when the remaining six (Ilia Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Niko Nikoladze, Iakob Gogebashvili, Giorgi Tsereteli, and Alexander Kazbegi) were no longer needed to prove the deep Russian roots of Georgian socialdemocratic ideals, they were taken towards an unknown direction.

Astronomy was not the area of science that suffered the most under the Soviet regime. During the Cold War, the USSR desperately needed to develop in exact and natural sciences. Contrastingly, its only objective for social sciences and, to some degree, humanities, was the legitimization of the Soviet regime within the borders of the Soviet Union. As a result, representatives of the nineteenthcentury Georgian intellectual elite were proclaimed the proud forefathers of the Georgian communists, whose activities, according to Shevardnadze, “proved that Russia and Georgia have a common path. It is this way, it used to be this way, and it will be this way forever.”

The picture changed after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. In the totalitarian system, considering heritage of 19th century intellectuals was available only from one perspective. This vision was replaced by groups with diverse values using the inheritance and the authority of the Georgian founding fathers gathered on the “Rushmore-onTerek” to protect and promote their visions and ideas.

For instance, Ilia Chavchavadze was presented by various groups as one of the first Georgian socialists, as a liberal, a rightist, a conservative or a saint (canonized by the Georgian Orthodox Church in 1987).

In the current decade, Georgia, like much of Eastern Europe, has been the subject of targeted and well-implemented anti-Western propaganda. In such anti-Western discourse, the authority of the nineteenth-century intellectuals is frequently cited. This is both ridiculous and sad, as no instances of anti-Western sentiment in the nineteenth-century Georgian press can be detected. Going through the nineteenth-century Georgian press, one will notice that the Georgian intellectuals of the time realized that Georgia was but a province of a backward empire. Looking for means and ways, as well as ideas and instruments, to develop their country, they turned to the West. They were the creators of the blueprints that we still use to demonstrate Georgia’s adherence to Western civilization. For instance, Constantine Mamatsashvili wrote in 1863: “As Georgia accepts Christianity and as Georgia connected its fate and history to Russia, it belongs more to Europe than to Asia.” In this one phrase, Mamatsashvili (sometimes referred to as the more Russian-sounding Mamatsov) tells sceptics that the civilizational choice of Georgia had not changed in the period between the reign

bi naTlad xedavdnen, rom saqarTvelo CamorCenili imperiis nawili iyo da Tavisi qveynis ganviTarebis saSualebebs, gzebs, ideebsa da instrumentebs mxolod da mxolod dasavleTSi eZebdnen. metic, swored mecxramete saukuneSi Seiqmna is ZiriTadi formulebi, romlebsac dRes Cven viyenebT skeptikosebTan kamaTSi saqarTvelos evropuli civilizaciisadmi mikuTvnebulobis dasasabuTeblad. magaliTisTvis: 1863 wels konstantine mamacaSvili werda: „radganac saqarTvelo aRiarebs qristianobas da Tavisi bedi da istoria ruseTTan SeaerTa, amisTvis es ufro evropas ekuTvnis, vidre azias“. mamacovi (aseTi iyo konstantines gvari, vidre mze CrdiloeTidan amodioda da „dasavleTi“ qarTul tradiciebs safrTxes Seuqmnida) yvela skeptikoss eubneba, rom vaxtangidan ereklemde saqarTvelos civilizaciuri arCevani ar Secvlila, rom mefe vaxtangis gamocdilebisa da imdroindeli msoflios politikuri mocemulobebis gaTvaliswinebiT mefe ereklem gaakeTa taqtikuri arCevani ise, rom ar uRalatia saqarTvelos erT-erTi pirveli astronomis _ vaxtang meeqvsis _ warmodgenebisTvis mzis sistemis Sesaxeb. evropas mecxramete saukunis saqarTveloSi xedavdnen rogorc ganviTarebis erTaderT sworsa da misabaZ models. 1872 wels sergei mesxi werda: „yovelgvari codnisa, ganaTlebisa, cxovrebis gaumjobesebisa da warmatebis wyaro jerjerobiT dasavleT evropa aris. yvela xalxebi da, maT Soris, rusebic, am wyaros ewafebian da aqedam gamoaqvT yvelaferi, rac ki saukeTesoa, kacis manugeSebelia da win wamwevi am xalxebis cxovrebaSi. Tavis Tavisa da Tavis qveynis win waweva mxolod imas SeuZlia, visac evropis cxovreba da mecniereba kargad da WeSmaritad gaucnia“.

Tanamedrove saqarTvelo ise axlosaa Tavis civilizaciur arCevanTan, rogorc arasdros xangrZlivi da dabrkolebebiT savse istoriis ganmavlobaSi. vici, rom zogs, SesaZloa, metismetad paTetikurad moeCvenos, magram gamoviyeneb SesaZleblobas, raTa Cemi da Cemi araerTi megobris suliskveTeba gamovxato: Cven CavidenT upatiebel danaSauls Cveni winamorbedi da momavali Taobebis winaSe, Tu davuSvebT qarTuli saxelmwifos damfuZnebeli mamebis memkvidreobis mcdar interpretacias maTive ideebisa da xedvebis diskreditaciisTvis.

Nova Societas-is gundis saxeliT madlobas vuxdiT: fond „Ria sazogadoeba _ saqarTvelos“, romlis mxardaWeram mogvca saSualeba, vikvlioT mecxramete saukunis inteleqtualebis proevropuli memkvidreoba; sainformacio centrs natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb da saxelmwifo ministris aparats evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi; radio „Tbilissa“ da radio „hereTs“, romlebic gviTmoben eTers Cveni kvlevis Sedegebis popularizaciisTvis.

ევროპას მეცხრამეტე საუკუნის საქართველოში ხედავდნენ როგორც განვითარების ერთადერთ სწორსა და მისაბაძ მოდელს.

In the nineteenth century, Georgian intellectual elites saw Europe as the only path of development worth replicating. of King Vakhtang (who sent his Grand Embassy to the Sun King and the Pope in 1713) and the reign of King Erekle (who signed the Georgievsk Treaty with Russia); and that, given Vakhtang’s experience and the political realities of the time, King Erekle made a tactical choice.

In the nineteenth century, Georgian intellectual elites saw Europe as the only path of development worth replicating. In 1872, Sergei Meskhi wrote: “So far, Europe is the only source for all kinds of knowledge, education, improving quality of life and success. All peoples, and Russians among them, drink from this spring and receive from this source everything that is best, comforting and developing the lives of these peoples. Only those who got closely and genuinely acquainted with the European life are able to develop themselves and their countries.”

Contemporary Georgia is perhaps as close to its civilizational habitat as it ever has been throughout its long and thorny history.

I am consciously running the risk of sounding more mawkish than is desirable in this magazine, but the thoughts and fears of myself and many others should be uttered: we would be committing an inexcusable crime against the previous and future generations if we were to tolerate the misuse of our founding fathers’ authority.

On behalf of the Nova Societas team, I would like to extend my gratitude to: The Open Society Georgia Foundation that supports our studying of Georgia’s pro-European heritage from the nineteenth century; the Information Center on NATO and EU; the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration; and radio stations Tbilisi and Hereti that generously provide us with opportunities to disseminate the findings of our research.

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

65

Culture |

Culture | კულტურა

კულტურა

კონკურსი „გა-მოხატე ევროპა“ Competition “Express Europe”

e

vrokavSiri-saqarTvelos sainformacio kampaniis farglebSi, natosa da evrokavSiris Sesaxeb sainformacio centrma, evrokavSiris delegaciis finansuri mxardaWeriTa da evropul da evroatlantikur struqturebSi integraciis sakiTxebSi saxelmwifo ministris aparatTan TanamSromlobiT, gamoacxada konkursi _ „ga-moxate evropa“. monawileebs unda ga-moexataT TavianTi damokidebuleba evropis mimarT _ SeeqmnaT posteri, gadaeRoT foto an daexataT naxati Temaze _ „Cemi TvaliT danaxuli evropa“, rac maT sxvadasxva nominaciaSi gamarjvebis SesaZleblobas miscemda. konkursi, romelSic saqarTvelos masStabiT bevri msurveli monawileobda, evropis dReebis farglebSi dasrulda. kompetenturi Jiuris gadawyvetilebiT konkursSi gaimarjves giorgi TarimaniSvilma, zura xatiaSvilma da qeTi lomiZem. evropis dReebis mimdinareobisas „ga-moxate evropis“ saukeTeso namuSevrebis gamofenac moewyo. konkursi gaimarTa evrokavSiris mier dafinansebuli proeqtis _ „asocirebis xelSekrulebis ganxorcielebis mxardaWera“ _ farglebSi.

G

eorgians Compete to Express their European VisionsAs part of the EU-Georgia information campaign, the Information Center on NATO and the EU,with the financial support of the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia and in cooperation with the Office of the State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration,announced the competition“Express Europe” from 25 January - 28 April.

Entrants were required to express their attitude towards Europe by creating a poster, taking a photo or creating a painting under the topic “Europe through My Eyes”, after which winners in various categories would be selected and awarded. Up to 200 applicants from across Georgia participated in the competition. After careful consideration, in the frames of Europe Days, the jury announced the following winners: Giorgi Tarimanishvili, Zura Khatiashvili and Keti Lomidze. Information Center on NATO and EU annually organizes Europe Days. In the frames of project various events, workshops, informational meetings, sports and educational activities are held across the country.

During Europe Days, exhibition of the bestworks of the competition“Express Europe” was organized at the Information Center.

The competition was held as part of the EU-funded project “Facility for the Implementation of the Association Agreement in Georgia”.

ქეთი ლომიძე / Keti Lomidze

66

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

67

Culture | კულტურა

Culture | კულტურა

ზურა ხატიაშვილი / Zura Khatiashvili

68

Georgia’s European Way July 2017

გიორგი თარიმანიშვილი / Giorgi Tarimanishvili

ივლისი 2017 საქართველოს ევროპული გზა

69