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European Integration Index 2013 for Eastern Partnership Countries European Integration Index 2013 for Eastern Partnership Countries International Renaissance Foundation in cooperation with the Open Society Foundations and Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum Table of Contents This report Will the Eastern Partnership was written by: 7 make a breakthrough in 2013? Olga Kvashuk (co-editor) Many colleagues and friends contributed to dif- Iryna Solonenko (co-editor) ferent stages of the 2013 EaP Index. We firstly are Viorel Ursu (co-editor) very grateful to all the experts listed at the end Martin Brusis of this publication, who worked side-by-side with 12 What is the EaP Index? Leila Alieva us on this edition of the Index. We benefitted a Leonid Litra great deal from insightful comments and ideas by Dzianis Melyantsou Jacqueline Hale, Dmytro Shulga, Karina Kostrze- Boris Navasardian wa-Dowgielewicz, Inna Pidluska, Fuad Hasanov, Tamara Pataraia Arcadie Barbarosie, Armen Mazmanyan, Natalia 16 Index 2013 — Key Results at a Glance Kateryna Shynkaruk Yerashevich, Roman Romanov, Vitaliy Zamnius, Oleksandr Androshchuk Tetiana Kukharenko, Oleksandr Sushko, Georgiy Intigam Aliyev Kasianov, Tatevik Matinyan, Veronika Aghajan- Iryna Fedorovych yan, Hovhannes Galstyan, Mariam Matevosyan, Vahagn Ghazaryan David Stulik, Andreas Umland, Ihor Koziy, Iryna 32 Country specific assessment Natalia Hnydyuk Kravchuk, Maryana Kuzio. We would also like to Anna Golubovska-Onisimova thank all those who participated in our round- Taras Kachka table discussion in Kyiv in January 2013. Last, Tamar Khidasheli but not least, we thank the Open Society Founda- Veronika Movchan tions — Armenia, the Soros Foundation — Mol- 62 Sector specific assessment Roman Nitsovych dova and the Open Society Georgia Foundation Elena Prohnitchi for their involvement. Natalia Sysenko Davit Tumanyan 93 Methodology of the Index Language editors Jennifer Rasell Lidia Wolanskyj 98 List of Experts Design and layout Denis Barbeskumpe Will the Eastern Partnership make a breakthrough in 2013? Racing back Testing democracy and forth through elections Weeks before the Eastern Partnership Sum- In 2012 most of the EaP countries went through mit in Vilnius and five years since the Eastern elections that tested the very foundations of the Partnership (EaP) was launched, the European young democracies. Armenia, Belarus, Georgia integration trajectories of the six EaP countries and Ukraine held parliamentary elections, while are rather uneven. Countries have responded dif- Moldova finally elected a President. The cycle con- ferently to the same initial offer by the European tinues in 2013 with presidential elections held Union (EU), demonstrating different levels of in Armenia and set for October in Azerbaijan commitment and performance. Nevertheless, and Georgia. The elections revealed cracks in the the Index 2013 shows that all six countries, with foundations of some of the countries, while oth- some exceptions, are on a positive track towards ers managed to reinforce the roots of democracy. European integration. Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan intensified their links with the EU, Moldova ended its political instability by while Moldova and Belarus registered no change electing a president in March 2012. The removal and only Ukraine had less intensive relations of imminent prospect of new general elections with the EU than last year. All six countries show allowed the coalition government to adopt a progress in the reform process with the exception series of progressive reforms demanded by the of Azerbaijan, which remains at the same level as EU. Moldova was the first country in the region in the previous year. However, all countries reg- to adopt a comprehensive anti-discrimination law ister both ups and downs in different areas. Four setting the standard for other EaP countries. The countries — Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and government reinforced the independence of the Belarus — improved the way they manage their Anti-corruption Center and set-up an indepen- relations with the EU; Ukraine has not changed dent National Commission for Integrity tasked its approach, while Azerbaijan slightly weakened with verifying and investigating the conflict of its management mechanism. interests and assets of officials and magistrates. However, the competing economic and power The progress is no doubt below the high expecta- interests of governing elites generated another tions raised at the launch of the Eastern Partner- political crisis in early 2013, which led to the ship. Insufficient political will of governing elites dismissal of the government. The new political still hinders important reforms. Nevertheless, crisis revealed that previous reforms could easily the registered progress might well mean that the be undone. Immediately after the dismissal of Eastern Partnership does work and the goals set the government major laws have been adopted for the Vilnius Summit have brought these coun- overnight without any public consultation or tries a few steps closer towards the EU. parliamentary debate. 7 The parliamentary elections inGeorgia led for as the UNIAN news agency and the major TV in closed institutions, the situation of alterna- the first time to a peaceful change of government channel Inter had to opt for a more loyal coverage tive civilian service for Jehovah’s Witnesses and Testing the EU’s through the ballot box without people taking to due to pressure from the authorities, while an concerns about media ownership amid pervasive transformative the streets. The election results were a surprise, independent TV channel TVi was consistently de- and systemic corruption. power following a tense and contested pre-electoral nied air space. Peaceful protests were increasingly period marked by allegations that the ruling banned by local courts, while the number of cases For Azerbaijan 2012 was marked by heightened The developments in the EaP countries confirm party had intimidated opposition supporters, as of harassment of demonstrators by police became international attention that came with hosting that the EU’s ability to trigger reforms crucially well as controversies about the electoral law, in more frequent. Growing corruption and public the Eurovision song contest. The authorities depends on domestic factors. With the same offer particular rules on party financing. The Saakash- procurement lacking transparency is part of the responded to criticisms of human rights abuses, on the part of the EU some countries have dem- vili government made a number of concessions in Ukrainian reality. At the same time a progressive including detentions, torture and property rights onstrated progress, while others have remained the run-up to the elections, including in response NGO law was adopted, a new Criminal Proce- violations (the latter directly related to construc- mostly immune to the EU’s leverage. Despite to the successful civil society campaign ‘This dural Code was passed, and the national preven- tion for the Eurovision song contest) by cracking some progress noted above, the high expecta- Affects You Too’ that argued for equal access for tive mechanism against torture was established. down on dissent. Although the remaining indi- tions about a positive response in the partner all partisan media to cable TV. Images of abuse In December 2012 the EU outlined a number of viduals detained during the April 2011 protests countries to the EU’s ambitious offer of Associa- in a Tbilisi jail that surfaced during the electoral conditions for Ukraine to fulfil in order to sign inspired by the Arab Spring were freed in June tion and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade period likely boosted the vote for the opposi- the Association Agreement at the Vilnius Summit. 2012, there followed further intimidation and Agreement (DCFTA), as well as future visa-free tion party Georgian Dream, as citizens saw this Yet, Ukrainian authorities have demonstrated the arrests of journalists, bloggers and political travel, did not materialise. as proof of the continued abuse of power by the little political will to implement the required opposition figures. The Council of Europe rappor- executive and the failure of judicial reform. Since reforms. teur on political prisoners continued to be denied Firstly, in the countries where survival of the the election, President Saakashvili and Prime access to the country. With presidential elections regime is at stake, the EU’s offer did not become Minister Ivanishvili have entered into an uncom- Parliamentary elections in 2012 and presidential looming in October 2013 — during which the an attractive incentive. Reforms that would fortable ‘cohabitation’. However, in late March elections in 2013 in Armenia were — with the incumbent Ilham Aliyev will run for a third con- undermine the foundations of the regime — such the Georgian parliament unanimously passed a exception of the shooting of a minor presidential secutive term — the authorities continue to use a as the release of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, key constitutional vote to limit presidential pow- candidate – largely well-administered without the de facto ban on freedom of assembly to disperse Belarus or Ukraine, a level playing field during ers to dismiss the parliament, paving the way for violence and fatalities that set Armenia back in rallies in Baku and arbitrarily detain demonstra- elections, media freedom and fighting corruption a smoother transition. The new government has March 2008. However, the presidential elections