Is Georgia, Despite Its Complex Political Situation, Its History with Russia and Its Geographical Remoteness, Likely to Join the EU?

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[...] For instance, Georgia signed the "Association Agreement" in 2014 which includes a Free trade area and in 2016, visa liberalization was also concluded, allowing Georgians to travel to the EU without visas for short term stays. Finally, last month, on the 14th of December 2023, Georgia achieved the desired status of "candidate country". President Salome Zourabichvili expressed her joy on social networks, stating "This day marks a huge milestone for Georgia and our European family". Georgia's aspiration for closer ties with Europe is shared by the Georgian population. [...]

[...] To conclude, Georgia's membership in the EU could bring many benefits, particularly in terms of democracy, and could ensure that its reforms are inclusive and viable. Moreover, the Georgian population seems to be turning more and more towards Europe. Bidzina Ivanishvili made his official return to Georgian politics in 2024, and in addition to "protecting national identity" and defending "state sovereignty", he maintains that "Georgia's main foreign policy task today is integration into the European Union". However, the current situation in Georgia is not sufficient for now, and the accession process is likely to depend heavily on developments in the war between Russia and Ukraine. [...]

[...] Is Georgia, Despite Its Complex Political Situation, Its History with Russia and Its Geographical Remoteness, Likely to Join the EU? Georgia, a nation situated between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, is a relatively small country at the heart of strong tensions between different powers. Turkey to the South, Russia to the North, Azerbaijan to the East and the Black Sea to the West, the Georgian identity is shaped by different cultures and many historical conflicts. This country, which used to be a part of Russia and the USSR until 1991, applied for EU membership in March 2022 even though it doesn't share any borders with EU countries. [...]

[...] In addition, the European Committee found that the authorities do not guarantee social security for all workers, and that the government does not take sufficient measures to reduce pollution and guarantee access to drinking water. In addition, Georgia is often criticized for its failure to fight corruption and its lack of efforts to ensure the independence of judges and fair elections. The UN Human Rights Committee has regularly addressed this issue, and despite some efforts on Georgia's part, these do not appear to be sufficient for now. Moreover, Georgia's historical relationship with Russia could also complicate its accession process. [...]

[...] There are also economic ones requiring the country to maintain a viable market economy capable of dealing with competitive pressure within the EU. While Georgia has made overall progress in reforms related to public administration, public procurement and the economy, the European Commission decided it was necessary for the country to demonstrate a more pronounced commitment to EU values, particularly in the field of democratic institutions. Indeed, the Georgian political system is strongly influenced by oligarchs, notably Bidzina Ivanishvili who, in addition to being Georgia's richest man, is also a very important politician. [...]