The Georgian FM wraps off his trip to Brussels

Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili completed his first official trip to Brussels, marking his first official journey as Georgia's top diplomat. In the run-up to the NATO Foreign Ministerial, FM Darchiashvili met with his Japanese and Canadian colleagues, Yoshimasha Hayashi and Mélanie Joly, respectively.

Georgian and Japanese top diplomats discussed the possibilities of commercial connections as well as increasing collaboration and people-to-people links in the realm of culture, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministers Darchiashvili and Joly also met to discuss strengthening economic ties between the two nations, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry. FM Darchiashvili also updated his colleague on the situation in separatist Abkhazia and Georgia’s Tskhinvali region, which are held by Russia.

According to Joly, the two ambassadors addressed "Russia's unjustified action against Ukraine and its consequences for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus." The Canadian diplomat tweeted, "Canada will continue to support Georgia's territorial integrity and continuing reform initiatives."

NATO allies agree to assist Georgia in strengthening its resilience

"Allies agreed that we should also support other partners, notably Georgia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, enhance their resilience and shore up their ability to defend themselves," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. Secretary General Stoltenberg said at the press conference that the Alliance might provide further assistance to Georgia under the current Substantial NATO-Georgia Package in areas including situational awareness, secure communications, and cybersecurity.

The Allies have decided to help other regional partners under pressure as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to the Secretary General.  The top NATO official also stated that he expects allies to concur in the Strategic Concept paper, which will be endorsed at the Madrid Summit, that NATO's door remains open and that working with "partners like Georgia, which are under Russian pressure," is important.

Georgia's new Foreign Minister met with European leaders

Ilia Darchiashvili, Georgia's newly appointed foreign minister, visited the NATO Foreign Ministerial. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said that Darchiashvili and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu talked about "the situation in Ukraine" and Ankara's efforts in the Kyiv-Moscow peace negotiations. According to the Foreign Ministry, the senior diplomats also discussed expanding trade and economic cooperation.

FM Darchiashvili tweeted after the meeting, "I once again stressed how much we cherish Turkey's solid support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration." Meanwhile, Georgian Foreign Minister Davit Darchiashvili and his Dutch colleague Wopke Hoekstra reviewed Georgia's EU membership application as well as the situation in Russia-occupied Tskhinvali/South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The Georgian Foreign Minister joined colleagues from Ukraine, Finland, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand during the North Atlantic Council's Foreign Ministers' session. FM Darchiashvili said he focused on "Georgia's Euro-Atlantic course and existing difficulties across the region" at the meeting.

Following the Ministerial, FM Darchiashvili met with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and emphasised the significance of NATO's sustained support for Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration, according to the Foreign Ministry. FM Darchiashvili said he held a brief conversation with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, and the two agreed to "keep in constant contact."

European Parliament’s report on Georgia’s association agreement implementation

According to a recent evaluation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement (AA) implementation produced for the European Parliament, "Georgia has substantially backslid with respect to the core democratic norms and major political pledges" it made as part of the AA during the previous two years. The study claims that the rule of law has deteriorated dramatically, as indicated by the incarceration of opposition leaders, the absence of a competent investigation into the violent episodes in June 2019/July 2021, and the decision to eliminate the State Inspector Service.

According to the document, "major setbacks" in the implementation of the AA have occurred in the Georgian judiciary since 2020, citing in particular "the hasty and non-transparent appointments of judges, the failure to reform the Prosecutor General appointment, and the changes brought to the law on Common Courts." According to the research, while Georgian civil society is strong, it is being impacted by rising political tensions, and the usefulness of current avenues for contacting civil society is being "seriously questioned."

Furthermore, the study stated that while Georgia is on track in terms of legislative procedures, it continues to confront significant obstacles in meeting its energy and environmental obligations, particularly in terms of energy efficiency. However, the study notes that progress has been made on climate change.

Georgia has consistently met essential EU standards for the visa-free system and has successfully worked with EU authorities and Member States in the fight against crime, according to the paper. "Cooperation on foreign and security policy is also seen favourably; nevertheless, Georgia has declined to join the sanctions imposed on Russia in the aftermath of the invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022," it added.

The study states that Georgia took considerable steps to combat violence against women and increase gender equality at work in 2020-21. The new Code on the Rights of the Child is likewise praised. Despite the COVID-19 epidemic, labour rights are projected to increase significantly because of modifications to the Labour Code and the extension of the Labour Inspectorate's mission, according to the research. While Georgia remains a regional leader in the fight against corruption, anti-corruption measures have stalled in recent years, and efficient investigation and prosecution of high-level wrongdoing remains a serious difficulty, according to the research.

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of Georgian Dream, appeared to disregard the contents of the paper, which was created for the European Parliament, saying that "independent reports cannot be a handbook for us." Instead, the GD leader claimed, "we will rely on the EU's official stances and declarations on every topic," adding, "EU's position on all matters is crucial for us."

The study was overwhelmingly endorsed by opposing lawmakers. The major message from the text, according to Khatia Dekanoidze, chair of the United National Movement party's parliamentary section, is that "democratic institutions are tragically weakening in Georgia."

"This is critical," she said, noting that weakening the institutions will obstruct Georgia's European membership. "When such serious processes as democratic backsliding are addressed, it signifies that the Georgian government is obstructing EU integration," the legislator stated.

New Georgian FM met Borrell 

Ilia Darchiashvili, the newly appointed foreign minister, is in Brussels for the first time in his new role, where he met with Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. They discussed Georgia’s EU integration agenda and its progress in this context, as well as the security environment in the region and the 27-member bloc’s role in regional stability, according to Darchiashvili.

Regarding the meeting, High Representative Borrell tweeted, "I look forward to working closely together to accomplish Georgia's reform agenda. The EU stands behind Georgia, including in the face of regional security threats, such as Russia's actions against Ukraine.”

Stoltenberg: "It is better to support Georgia sooner than later”

"It's preferable to help (Georgia) sooner rather than later," Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. NATO Secretary General flagged a lesson to be learned from Russia's invasion of Ukraine is that "all of those who believe in freedom and the rule of law must give assistance to close and highly valued friends like Georgia."

"As a result, one of the topics that will be covered in today's and tomorrow's Foreign Ministerial meeting is how we can boost up support for other allies who are under Russian pressure, and Georgia is one of them,” he added.

"NATO's door remains open," Stoltenberg stated, adding that "NATO's enlargement over several decades has been a remarkable success, helping to extend democracy, the rule of law, stability, and peace throughout Europe."

"Membership concerns are decided by the applicant nation, the country striving to membership, and the 30 allies. On that matter, neither Russia nor any other country has a veto," the NATO leader stated.