Dr. Khatuna Burkadze, Director of American and Euro-Atlantic Studies at Geocase has assessed the results of the meetings of the Association Council of the European Union and Georgia and the NATO-Georgia Commission held in Brussels. She underlined that NATO and the EU recognize Georgia as a key partner in the region. ‘Statements made by the high-level representatives of the EU and NATO during the visit of the Georgian Delegation to Brussels on March 16-17, 2021 indicated once again that our partners support the Western, European future of Georgia’, - added Dr. Khatuna Burkadze.
 

‘The sides reaffirmed their continued commitment to Georgia's deeper political association and economic integration with the EU. They spoke about the implementation of the Association Agreement and its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). The Association Council noted that the parliamentary elections of 2020 were competitive. However, the Association Council agreed on the importance of addressing all recommendations related to the shortcomings identified by international observers and the continuation of the electoral reform to strengthen the electoral environment. The Association Council strongly regretted that political polarisation deepened in Georgia. The EU called for all parties to step up efforts to de-escalate the situation and reach a consensus’, - highlighted Dr. Khatuna Burkadze.
 

‘As for the statement made by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the Secretary General underlined the close political partnership and strong practical cooperation between NATO and Georgia, thanking Georgia for serving alongside NATO forces in Afghanistan. He also expressed concerns over Russia's continued military build-up in the Black Sea and recalled NATO's continued support for Georgia's territorial integrity. The Secretary General paid attention to the recent political developments in Georgia and emphasized the importance of resolving political differences through dialogue’, - noted Dr. Khatuna Burkadze.
 

‘All sides of the current political developments should act based on evolutionary approaches. The main goal would be the de-escalation of the situation and the conclusion of the agreement reflected the best interests of the country. Furthermore, currently, because of the global crisis, Georgian citizens are facing various challenges. We can handle problems in the fields of healthcare, security, economy, education by joint efforts. Through the support of the US and EU, we should take joint steps towards the Georgian European democracy that will promote to achieve our civilizational choice - becoming a member of NATO and EU. We should do this!' – emphasized Dr. Khatuna Burkadze.