Eastern Europe
Tsikhanouskaya: Repressions are escalating, EU should be ‘braver’ in its sanction policy
Actions of the international community, including European sanctions against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko, have to be ‘faster and braver‘ to support Belarusian civil society in its struggle, Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told EURACTIV. “The protest mood hasn’t been...
Georgia ruling party, opposition sign EU-led pact to end crisis
Georgia's ruling party and the opposition on Monday (19 April) signed an EU-mediated agreement to end a months-long political crisis that raised concerns in the West over the Caucasus country's backsliding on democracy.
Ukraine mobilises NATO’s diplomatic and political means over Russia troops build-up
After Kyiv and Moscow traded blame over the worsening situation in the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine was able to mobilise its Western allies at political level, with several high-level meetings planned this week.
The EU should get serious about Georgia’s political crisis
The lack of visionaries in Georgian politics increases the European Union’s responsibility to make sure that the country gets out of its current crisis, write Vakshuti Menabde and Teona Lavrelashvili. By Vakhushti Menabde is director of Program of Support for...
EU-mediated Georgia crisis talks fail on second try
The second round of European Union-mediated talks between Georgia's ruling party and the opposition failed Wednesday (31 March) to resolve a political impasse sparked by elections last year, an EU mediator said.
Belarus takes ethnic Poles ‘hostage’, Polish PM says
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has called on Belarusian authorities to stop harassing Poles living in the country after a minority activist was sentenced to 15 days in jail earlier this week. The issue will be raised at today's EU summit, the Polish PM said.
European Parliament supports the people of Belarus in their quest for democracy
The quest for democracy and freedom is in the hands of the people of Belarus. They should know that they are not alone, writes David McAllister.
EU envoy heads back to Georgia to continue mediation
European Council President Charles Michel’s personal envoy to Georgia will head back to Tbilisi this week in an effort to find a solution to the ongoing political crisis that EU officials say may jeopardise the South Caucasian country’s European aspirations....
EU mediator returns from Georgia empty-handed
After a week of negotiations, the special envoy of European Council President Charles Michel returns to Brussels empty-handed, after unsuccessful attempts to find solutions for the Georgian political stalemate.
EU mediation yet to reach solution in Georgia as prime minister visits Brussels
EU-mediated negotiations between the Georgian ruling party and the opposition are yet to bear fruit, the South Caucasian country's prime ministerial visit to Brussels revealed on Tuesday (16 March).
EU warms to more integration with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine
The idea of offering more tailor-made integration to the three Eastern associated partner countries, -- Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, -- is gaining momentum on the Commission's agenda, according to an EU official.
EU to assess progress in Georgia mediation talks on 15 March
After his unexpected visit to Tbilisi to mediate the deepening political crisis in Georgia, European Council President Charles Michel said progress in talks between the ruling party and the opposition will be assessed in two weeks.
Michel seeks to mediate Georgian political crisis
In an unusual move, European Council President Charles Michel invited Georgia's ruling and opposition parties for talks under his mediation over dinner during his visit to Tbilisi on Monday (1 March).OpinionPromoted content
Why the future is local for the Eastern Partnership
After having interacted over the past decade, the European Union is now better placed to engage with Eastern Partnership states and to prepare the post-2020 partnership framework. By the Presidents of the national associations of local governments Kakha Kaladze of...
Georgia police detain dozens of pro-opposition protesters
Police in Georgia's capital Tbilisi on Friday (19 February) detained dozens of pro-opposition demonstrators demanding snap polls, as a political crisis sparked by last year's elections deepened.
After EU embarrassment in Moscow, Michel makes it up by going to Kyiv, Tbilisi
While European lawmakers were scolding the bloc's top diplomat Josep Borrell for his ill-fated trip to Russia, European Council President Charles Michel has announced he will be travelling to Ukraine and Georgia in March.
EU, US rally behind Georgia after arbitrary sentencing in frozen conflict zone
Brussels and Washington have condemned the heavy prison sentence slapped on a Georgian citizen by the authorities in the Russia-controlled Georgian region of South Ossetia on Friday (5 February).
Georgia is striving to relaunch the machinery of world diplomacy
Since COVID-19 changed our lives, the larger powers are virtually alone in meeting global challenges, while smaller countries like Georgia are striving to re-launch the machinery of the larger debates, Salome Zourabishvili, the President of Georgia, writes in an exclusive...
Georgian MP: Mood in Brussels should not prevent EU membership application
Enlargement fatigue should not prevent the South Caucasian country from applying for membership of the bloc in 2024, even though the process might cause frustration domestically, Maka Botchorishvili, the newly elected chair of the EU integration committee of the Georgian...
Georgia is ready to apply for membership by 2024 – Is the EU ready too?
The absence of the official “enlargement perspective” doesn’t meant that Georgia should be discouraged lodging a membership application. But in order to succeed, Georgia should be more creative in its foreign policy, write Teona Lavrelashvili and Steven Van Hecke.
EU ambitions unabated
The recent visit to Brussels of Georgia’s President Salome Zourabishvili has highlighted the country’s determination to pursue a very ambitious EU agenda, despite the challenge of the Covid pandemic and the difficult international climate. EURACTIV looks into the details.
Georgian president visits Brussels in push for 2024 EU membership application
The President of Georgia Salome Zourabishvili is paying a visit to all three on European institutions Thursday and Friday (21-22 January) to cement Georgia’s bid for an EU membership in 2024. The visit of the Caucasian country’s head of state...
Georgia gets important designation in International Criminal Court
A Georgian national was elected for the first time as judge at the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) - an important designation for a country awaiting investigation of alleged war crimes committed during a short war with Russia in 2008.
