Georgia: Private sector gives suggestions for a way forward

Georgia, a country championing economic reform and ranking seventh in the World Bank 'Doing Business' index, gave the floor on 23 October to experienced businessmen to identify ways of further improving the investment climate.

Tamar Chugoshvili: The ‘dynamics’ in EU politics are hugely discouraging for Georgia

In a wide-ranging interview with EURACTIV, Georgian politician Tamar Chugoshvili speaks of the reactions in her country following the recent EU decision not to open accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania, and of Georgia’s plans to remain in the EU orbit nevertheless.

EU almost invisible at major Silk Road forum in Georgia

No high-level EU Commission official was to be found at the opening of a two-day Silk Road Forum in Tbilisi, Georgia, on Tuesday (22 October), which was attended by 2,000 delegates from some 60 countries, including several EU member states. 

Medvedev confirms support for Serbia as it readies free trade deal with Eurasia

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev reiterated Moscow's support for Serbia during a visit to Belgrade on Saturday (19 October) and announced the signing of a free trade agreement between Serbia and the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Armenia’s EU accession could be a ‘question for the people,’ Deputy PM says

Armenia has a "completely different level of relationship" with the European Union after last year's revolutionary uprising, the country's Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan has said, telling EURACTIV any future EU accession is a "question that the people of Armenia need to answer."

East-West corridor: ‘Hard’ versus ‘soft’ connectivity?

A conference organised by EURACTIV on ‘Global Eurasia – connectivity as a driver for peace, stability and security’ raised questions such as “greener” connectivity, in line with Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen’s priorities. But diplomats from the region were more focused on infrastructure.

2018 uprising leads to a ‘technological revolution’, Armenian PM says

Armenia's 2018 uprising has paved the way for a "technological revolution" in the country, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Monday (7 October), as the Black Sea Economic Cooperation group rallied around the use of technology for regional collaboration.

Fighting ‘fake news’ online: How soldiers in Latvia got fooled by bots

When NATO's Centre for Strategic Communication in Riga discovered how easy it was to dupe its soldiers online, it has started looking for ways of countering false information, which comes, in large part, from Russia. EURACTIV's media partner der Tagesspiegel reports.

Russia’s Lavrov favours resumption of direct flights to Georgia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov supports the resumption of direct flights from Russia to Georgia that Moscow suspended in July, the Kommersant daily cited him as saying in an interview published on Wednesday (25 September).

Russia to fund modernisation of army in occupied Georgian region

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a government proposal to bankroll the modernisation of the armed forces in the occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia, a government document published online showed on Monday (23 September).

In Georgia, EU opens first European School outside the bloc’s borders

In line with EU aims to deepen relations with the Eastern Partnership countries, EU and Georgian officials on Monday (16 September) launched a European School in Tbilisi, the first educational institution of this kind launched beyond the bloc’s boundaries.

EU calls ‘unacceptable’ the tensions at Georgia occupation line

The ambassador of the EU to Georgia called “unacceptable” on Friday (30 August) the tensions and confrontational language at the “border” between Georgia and its occupied territory of South Ossetia.

Batumi and Sokhumi: A tale of two cities

Unresolved conflicts in Georgia don’t serve the interest of local populations on either side of the artificial divide and may not serve Russia’s own interests in long term, writes Ketevan Tsikhelashvili.

Georgia’s European Economic Area ambitions

As the EU suffers from “enlargement fatigue”, perhaps the European Economic Area membership will prove a useful stepping stone for Georgia in its rightful quest to join the Union, writes Fraser Cameron.

Hungary and Ukraine exchange warnings over Transcarpathia

Tensions have worsened between Budapest and Kyiv over a Ukrainian language law, which Hungary considers hostile to its minority population in the Transcarpathia region

Moldova FM: We want to move as quickly as possible on EU accession

There is a high consensus in Moldova that we want good relations with Brussels and Moscow, but we have no alternative to strong pro-European integration, Moldova's new foreign minister, Nicu Popescu, told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview.

Georgian government dismisses pro-Russia bias claims

A leading opposition politician has accused the Georgian government of pro-Russian bias, tacitly condoned by the EU, but representatives of the ruling party, as well as diplomats, insist there is a consensus on big geopolitical matters and the entire country is pro-Western.

Germany tells the East: Speed up reform or you will lose your population

Germany’s minister of state for Europe delivered a blunt message to a gathering of the Eastern Partnership, organised in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi on Thursday (11 July): unless reforms in Eastern Europe speed up, its young people will leave to find a better life in Western Europe.

Slovak president attacks Beijing’s human rights record

Slovakian president Zuzana Čaputová has criticised Beijing for not respecting human rights, during a visit by China's foreign affairs chief on Wednesday (10 July). Wang Yi was in Slovakia to discuss the involvement of the Visegrád Four in the Silk Road project.

Georgia suggests taking an unconventional path to EU accession

Georgia staked its claim to becoming an EU member on Thursday (11 July), even if it meant an innovative approach and "knocking on every door", its president told an international conference marking the tenth anniversary of the Eastern Partnership in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi.

What is the Eastern Partnership and what it’s not

Georgia intends to continue on its path to EU membership and wants to use all available opportunities and instruments to achieve this self-proclaimed objective, writes David Zalkaliani.

Thousands in Tbilisi demand Georgia’s de-oligarchisation

Thousands of anti-government protesters rallied on Monday (24 June) in the Georgian capital for the fifth consecutive day as the increasingly unpopular ruling party's promise of sweeping reforms failed to appease mass demonstrations.

Georgian protesters slam ‘Putinism’, raise pressure on ruling oligarch

Several thousand anti-government protesters took to the streets of the Georgian capital Tbilisi for a fourth day on Sunday (24 June) as tensions rose between Moscow and its ex-Soviet neighbour.