Publications

Bram De Botselier

At a time when several countries that were key to the adoption of the Paris Agreement have a less favourable political context for climate action, the three associated EaP countries Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine show at least some political commitment to engage in global climate discussions. However, there is currently little cooperation between the EU and these countries in the field of international climate negotiations. (more…)

Nino Samkharadze

Ethnic minorities in Georgia maintain an ambivalent attitude towards European integration: on one hand, they value the practical improvements to their social and economic conditions which greater European integration promises. On the other hand, a majority of ethnic minority representatives feel skeptical towards European integration, which limits their engagement, including, by preventing various opportunities provided by the EU, such as visa liberalization, educational and economic programs. (more…)

Salome Minesashvili

High public support is frequently claimed as a backbone of Georgia`s foreign policy direction and especially its ambition for membership in the European Union (EU). However, ethnic minorities in Georgia comprise a group whose unanimous approval the state’s foreign policy lacks. In comparison to ethnic Georgians, ethnic Azerbaijanis and Armenians in Georgia are significantly less supportive of Georgia`s potential membership in the European Union. (more…)

The report “Georgia’s Implementation of 20 Eastern Partnership Deliverables for 2020” is prepared in the framework of the project “Assessing Georgia’s progress in 20 EaP Deliverables for 2020”, implemented by the Georgian Institute of Politics (GIP), in partnership with the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Georgia. (more…)

Meri Chachava

Since March 2017, when the European Commission (EC) allowed visa-free travel to the Schengen area for Georgian citizens, member states warned about the sharp and continuous rise in the number of unfounded asylum seekers from Georgia. The destination countries have varied during the last three years, but the top two countries have always been France and Germany. This brief examines the attractiveness of France and Germany as destinations for Georgian asylum seekers, including the factors influencing their choice. (more…)

Expert Comment #12 | June, 2020

Possible political success of non-liberal groups with nationalist sentiments poses new challenges to important issues such as rule of law, minority rights, and Euro-Atlantic foreign policy orientation of the country. Given the context of fragile democratization of Georgia, such tendency is more noteworthy. (more…)

Expert Comment #11 | June, 2020

Over the past decade, populist right-wing extremist groups have become increasingly vocal and visible in Georgia. Some of these groups exist as informal actors on social media, while others are formally registered as political parties, NGOs or media organizations. Although these groups differ in a number of ways, their common denominator is their ethno-religious focus, and anti-globalization, anti-liberal, anti-immigration and Eurosceptic sentiments. (more…)

Kornely Kakachia and Bidzina Lebanidze

Originally published by EU-LISTCO

This paper explores the extent to which global and diffuse risks impact the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries of the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood and identifies tipping points at which risks can turn into immediate threats for the EaP countries, with implications for the EU. We apply five major risk categories to the EaP area that cover the majority of global and diffuse risks and suggest their prioritization based on temporality, probability of occurrence, and potential multiplication effects. (more…)

Levan Kakhishvili, Bidzina Lebanidze, Salome Minesashvili, Gvantsa Davitashvili

Georgian Institute of Politics is delighted to present Compendium 2020, the annual collection of policy briefs about the current political situation in Georgia. The briefs are intended to create a foundation for discussion and serve as a resource for government officials, civil society representatives, field experts, academics, citizens and other stakeholders who are engaged in Georgia’s democratic development. (more…)

Nijat Eldarov

Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to work together in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. The three nations have agreed to hold joint military exercises, strengthen law-enforcement cooperation, collaborate on improving cyber-resilience, and increase interoperability between their militaries to prevent terror attacks in the region. (more…)

Tamta Gelashvili

The recent wave of far-right mobilization across the globe, including Georgia, naturally attracts wide media attention. Although the interrelation of the media and the far right, especially in the Georgian context, remains under-researched, evidence from other countries shows the potential impact of media coverage on both public opinion, i.e. the demand for the far right, and the consolidation of far-right actors, i.e. the supply of the far right. This policy paper examines the possible role the Georgian media can play in far-right mobilization and provides recommendations for both media and civil society organizations. (more…)

Ivanna Machitidze

The developments resulting from Russia and Turkey’s turbulent relations have been shaping the political, economic and security landscape in the post-Cold War South Caucasus for three decades already. For Georgia it is a necessity to pursue a delicate maneuver due to the circumstances of its strategic partnership with Turkey, while simultaneously struggling to address Russia’s assertive and uncompromising stance towards Tbilisi. (more…)