Georgia Takes a Step Closer to the Long-Lived Dream of Joining the European Union

After years of Georgia’s consistent fight to join the European Union (EU), the EU declared that it would grant candidate membership status to the country. Celebrations in the capital, Tbilisi, occurred all over the city as Georgian citizens were hopeful for a better future for their country.

Recently, a poll by the International Republican Institute discovered that 89% of Georgians support joining the EU, a staggeringly high number compared to results from previous years. Combined with the years of protest advocating for the cause, it

raises the question of why Georgian citizens are so adamant about joining the Union. Unraveling the answer requires delving into a significant amount of historical context.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb. 2022, Georgian citizens feared that they would be next. The unease spread throughout the country, as parallels were observable between the war in Ukraine and Georgia’s previous conflict with Russia in 2008. On Aug. 7, 2008, Russia launched an invasion of the Russian-backed self-proclaimed regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The five-day war caused destruction in numerous towns and villages, killing or wounding almost 3,000 people.

Georgia first claimed independence in 1918 and faced territorial disputes with its neighbors. The period of chaos was short-lived, as the Bolsheviks rose victorious in Russia and took over the South Caucasus, ultimately creating the Soviet Union. While the borders of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Georgia remained unclear, the matter was largely disregarded, considering that it was all a part of the Soviet Union.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Georgia officially established itself as an independent nation. However, it faced struggles as a country since Soviet bureaucrats, nationalist leaders and criminal gangs fought for political influence.

Ekaterina Ioseliani previously lived in the capital, Tbilisi, and shared her experience as a young teen during this period. “The problem was that we were newly independent, trying to establish ourselves. Not depending on Russia made surviving hard, and we faced many problems,” Ioseliani said. “Food shortages, no electricity, and dangerous encounters were common. Especially at night, it was very unsafe to go out– people would threaten you with a knife and demand you give them your coat.”

Furthermore, the 2008 Russo-Georgian War’s conflict over Abkhazia and South Ossetian territory has roots dating back to the nineties. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute stated, “Fighting began in 1992–93 instigated by militia groups set up by Russia using its infamous hybrid warfare toolkit in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia.”

The devastating conflict is what has led to the path of economic and political reform and the seeking of closer ties with the West through the EU and NATO. Georgians are hopeful that by joining these organizations, they can ensure protection from Russian aggression and improve the state of their country. 

Ilia Giorgadze, a Georgian ambassador in Spain, offered insight into the setbacks that the nation currently faces. “There are still steps to take before our country joins the EU. The Union gave Georgia nine requirements to be fulfilled before they could negotiate membership,” Giorgadze said. “Significant levels of political and economic instability are still apparent, especially with the upcoming elections.”

Cepa.org explained, “[The Georgian Dream Party] is thought to be likely to win and will likely continue its determination to chart a course independent–and sometimes openly hostile–to the West.”

“The tensions between the EU and Georgia will not disappear overnight,” Giorgadze said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be hopeful.”

Written by Ninia Sopromadze of Walter Johnson High School

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons