As already announced, Georgia plans to apply for EU membership By 2024. The country has to take great actions and do certain works before. The domestic political crisis that was resolved by mediation from the side of the European Union and personally Charles Michelle took the leadership to overcome the crisis, has left some caution and skepticism about Georgia in the EU.
The MEPs unanimously stated that Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration was at stake. Just as much careful Europe really needs a solid argument to expand its borders, herewith, Europe is immersed in problems due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is significant to have a defined communication strategy with the key partners and alliances based on common interests and values when Russia uses various methods to make a hybrid war against many countries including Georgia.
MEPs and experts come up with such an initiative, For example, Co-President of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly Andrius Kubilius in an exclusive interview with Europe Time said that Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine need a united action plan of strategic communications with the member countries of the European Union.
He noted that Georgia needs a highly effective strategic communication strategy with the EU institutions as well as EU member states to work together with Ukraine and Moldova for accelerating their integration process into the European Union and one of the ideas is we can discuss creating a kind of Think-Tank/platform that will be cooperated with institutional, political, civil, etc. and it will support the foreign goals of these three countries.
`We are trying to speak with capitals, trying to organize some kind of networks with think-tanks, with political communities to speak about all those new ideas. We need some kind of joint action plan with the EU, Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova, - said MEP Andrius Kubilius.
Analyst Teona Lavrelashvili, Analyst Teona Lavrelashvili, who has interesting experience working in European structures and currently leads a political party program at the University of Leuven, while being interviewed with Europe Time stressed the importance of effective strategic communication from Georgia. According to her, a holistic diplomacy strategy is needed, which means more coordination of cooperation with political, diplomatic, and institutional (including academic/non-academic) actors.
Teona Lavrelashvili believes that the cooperation should be intensified with think-tanks and various foundations, and it would be good if a vision is really developed that defines the possibility of establishing a kind of center/foundation/ think-tank in Brussels that will work in the direction of Georgia and/or the region (a similar foundation/organization can really form a trio - Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine to jointly present a common position in the EU, this would be a strategic step politically and financially).
Steven Blockmans, Senior Fellow at the European Policy Research Center (CEPS) and Head of Europe in the World, also welcomes the idea that Georgia would be institutionally involved in the `Future of Europe` conference and set out its vision about the future of the European Union.
In his view, this initiative is not only strategically important for the image of Georgia at the European level, but also substantially interesting for Georgia and its citizens, as they will be allowed to engage in the process of creating and developing important policy for the EU.
