Georgia relies on Europe

 

George Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively for Vestnik KavkazaA young journalist from CNBC was delighted with an explicit interview withthe head of the Georgian government. First, Irakli Garibashvili is only31 years old, so he is young and, apparently, interesting. In addition, Westernjournalists, in general, like interviewing Georgian politicians: whetherMikhail Saakashvili and his team members or the leaders of the currentruling coalition "Georgian Dream". The reason is not a special interest inGeorgia as it is: interviews with Georgian politicians almost always turnout to be scandalous, i.e. demanded by readers and viewers, who are avidfor sensation.So this time, when the new Prime Minister of Georgia, arriving at theeconomic forum in Davos, Switzerland, spoke about Russian-Georgianrelations, his tone and message were almost indistinguishable from thephraseology of the notorious ex-president Saakashvili. According to thePrime Minister, "Russia can arrange us new provocations on occupationallines in anticipation of signing the European association agreement, butGeorgia shoudn't be afraid of the Ukrainian scenario, because Ukraine andGeorgia are two different stories: we depend on Russia to a much lesserextent, so for us there are no such risks." It should be understood thateven if there is a new ban on imports of Georgian products, Russia will notget the Georgian leadership to refuse the registration of Europeanassociation, because in the years after the introduction of the firstembargo (2006), Georgia managed to diversify exports and find new marketsfor their wine and "Borjomi".But some experts point out to the young team that came to power that theconcept of "security" and "independence" are relative and are not limitedto the economic component. Georgian politicians themselves often referredto the fact that "Russian tanks are 35 kilometers from Tbilisi and fiveminutes from the strategically important road linking the capital to theBlack Sea ports of Poti and Batumi." Apparently, Garibashvili hopes that ifthe Russian border guards continue improvement of the Georgian-SouthOssetian border, which, according to the maps of the Soviet times, inseveral places crosses the mentioned highway, Georgia will be supported byEurope with something more than advice to build a new highway to the south of the Gori-Khashuri line.But why are politicians who seem to be so different unanimous now? The newauthorities must have no strategy to address the fundamental problem ofrelations with Russia to offer the society, so they enjoy theirpredecessors' best practices.Meanwhile, one of the "architects" of the "Eastern Partnership", theSwedish diplomat Carl Bildt, confirmed in an interview with Georgian mediathat the EU "will certainly sign an association agreement with Georgia inAugust of this year." And in the case of a new exacerbation, the experienceddiplomat Bildt will just shrug - he has enough diplomatic skill for that.