DOCSLIB.ORG

Integration of National Minorities in Georgia INTEGRATION of NATIONAL MINORITIES in GEORGIA

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Integration of National Minorities in Georgia INTEGRATION of NATIONAL MINORITIES in GEORGIA Policy Papers Integration of National Minorities in Georgia INTEGRATION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IN GEORGIA POLICY PAPERS TBILISI 2017 The views expressed in this Publication are those of authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM). It is prohibited to copy, reproduce or distribute the material for commercial purposes, without the written permission of Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Translators: Ana Adamia, Ketaven Kiknavelidze, Giorgi Lashkhi Design: Viola Tugushi Cover photo: Gvanca Diasamidze ISBN 978-9941-0-9921-2 © Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, 2017 © OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, 2017 INTEGRATION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IN GEORGIA 1. ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND NATIONAL MINORITIES Kristine Margvelashvili, Ana Tsiklauri (Center for Social Sciences) 2. POLITICAL PARTICIPATION OF NATIONAL MINORITY WOMEN IN GEORGIA Levan Kakhishvili 3. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC STANDING OF NATIONAL MINORITIES IN GEORGIA Diana Bogishvili, Irina Osepashvili (Center for Social Sciences) 4. ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL MINORITIES IN GEORGIA Diana Bogishvili, Ana Tsiklauri (Center for Social Sciences) CONTENT Preface 7 Levan Tsutskiridze Electoral SYSTEMS AND National MINORITIES by Kristine Margvelashvili, Ana Tsiklauri Executive Summary 9 Methodology 10 Introduction 11 Main Challenges of Political Participation of National Minorities 16 Overview of Electoral Systems: International Experience and Practices 19 Study Findings 25 Recommendations 34 Bibliography 37 POLITICAL Participation OF National MINORITY WOMEN IN GEORGIA by Levan Kakhishvili Executive Summary 41 Introduction 42 Indirect Forms of Political Participation 44 Direct Forms of Political Participation 47 Factors Influencing Political Participation of Minority Women 49 Conclusions and Recommendations 65 Bibliography 69 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC Standing OF National MINORITIES IN GEORGIA by Diana Bogishvili, Irina Osepashvili Introduction 71 Methodology 73 Review of Current Legislative Framework 74 Study Findings 76 Conclusion and Recommendations 95 Bibliography 99 ACCESS to Information FOR National MINORITIES IN GEORGIA by Diana Bogishvili, Ana Tsiklauri Introduction 105 Methodology 108 Review of Current Legislation Framework 109 Study Findings 112 Conclusion and Recommendations 131 Bibliography 134 7 Preface Dear reader, The Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD) helps Geor- gia in creating the political environment where diversity and pluralism are rightly seen as strengthening the country as opposed to representing the destructive gap of polarization and confrontation. Georgia belongs to all of its citizens – irrespective of their differences. This is why the participation of national minority citizens in the country’s social and political life is one of the most important issues in determining our future. In 2014-2016 with financial support of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (OSCE-HCNM), NIMD worked with political parties to enhance the representation of national minorities, increase their interest in politics and reflect these interests or needs in political party programs. There is a damaged bridge between people and political parties and as our mission, we seek to help Georgian politicians strengthen it. We have conducted a substantial work to realize this mission: NIMD hosted ten meetings of political leaders in Tbilisi – enabling them to discuss the issues that often require a consensus; hosted eight meetings in Kvemo Kartli and Samtskhe-Javakheti to better connect political parties with local population; facilitated a one-month internship program for young ethnic Armenian and Azerbaijani citizens of Georgia at headquarters of political parties and in partnership with the Georgian Public Broadcaster, we developed and aired four TV shows in order to disseminate political party positions and views to the public. With these activities, we have contributed to raising the issue of national minorities’ participation higher on political agenda and facilitated discus- sions on how to resolve related problems. This publication has been devel- oped for this very purpose as well: to offer the expert analysis of existing 8 problems that citizens of Georgia from various regions are facing and to come up with some ideas for solving them. There is a lot more to be done. Considerable efforts will be required from all of us together to build a country where, to paraphrase Martin Luther King, the most important thing will be not the national origin, but the content of one’s character. This is exactly the country and international environment we are aspiring to. Levan Tsutskiridze Executive Director, NIMD Eastern European Neighborhood Office Electoral SYSTEMS AND National MINORITIES Kristine Margvelashvili, Ana Tsiklauri Executive Summary National minorities make up a substantial portion of the entire population of Georgia. However, the level of their participation in social and political life is limited. From the legal perspective, the Georgian legislation and the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities ensure the equality of opportunities for national minorities. Nevertheless, the quality of minority participation in political decision-making still re- mains a great challenge. The current mixed electoral system fails to ensure the full-fledged politi- cal participation of national minorities. They are underrepresented in the legislature which causes and is also caused by the low level of political participation of national minorities. The electoral system is one of the instruments to ensure participation of national minorities in political life. To this end, there is a need to develop an optimal electoral system and additional mechanisms in the light of Georgia’s political and cultural landscape, to promote maximum partici- pation of every Georgian citizen in socio-political life including national minorities. Diversification of party politics, consistent transition to a pro- portional electoral system and introduction of additional mechanisms dur- ing the transition period are required to achieve these results. This policy paper explores the concerns of Armenian and Azeri minorities identified as a result of the focus group discussions. The low level of their representa- tion is generally determined by the inadequate knowledge of the Georgian language, socio-economic environment, insufficient civic education, and lack of the political participation, as well as the mistrust in electoral and political systems. 10 Electoral SYSTEMS AND National MINORITIES This policy paper provides recommendations for the political parties and the Government of Georgia on how to increase the level of political par- ticipation of national minorities through the electoral system; pointing to the need for the establishment of regional offices of political parties; and recommending the government to offer additional incentives to political parties to promote the national minority participation. 1. Methodology A range of qualitative research methods (desk research, in-depth interviews, focus groups) were used to explore the participation level of national mi- norities in Georgian political life. Initially, a desk research was conducted. In parallel, a schedule for focus groups discussions was developed. The target population of this study are the two largest national minorities (Ar- menians and Azeris) of Georgia. Accordingly, two regions – Kvemo Kartli (City of Marneuli) and Samtskhe-Javakheti (City of Akhalkalaki) the most compactly settled with national minorities were identified for conducting focus groups. In total, four focus groups were conducted: two in Marneuli and two in Akhalkalaki. Each focus group was composed of eight partici- pants with different socio-demographic profiles. The target audience was distributed across the two age groups: 18-40 years old and 41-65 years old. To avoid homogeneity of the focus group participants, in addition to classifying by age categories, they were also selected based on the type of their education (secondary, vocational and higher) and employment status. Each focus group session lasted for approximately one and a half hours and was tape-recorded and transcribed. The transcripts of the records were summarized. The desk-research analysis was followed by fourteen in-depth interviews with the leaders and other members of political parties (Georgian Dream, Free Democrats, Democratic Movement – United Georgia, Labour Party, Republican Party, United National Movement, and New Rights Party) and experts working on minority issues. In addition, the in-depth interviews were conducted with the representatives of the Office of the State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, the Central Election Commission (CEC) and the Public Defender (Ombudsman). Each interview lasted for one hour and was tape-recorded. KRISTINE MARGVELASHVILI, ANA TSIKLAURI 11 2. Introduction The full-fledged participation of national minorities is critical to democratic state-building. Human rights, freedom of expression and participation play a fundamental role in the process of democratization. Therefore, the state and non-state actors should ensure equal opportunities for all citizens. In view of the Post-Soviet political systems, and Georgian among them, it is extremely important to implement democratic values because of
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Fma Visit to Georgia
    FMA VISIT TO GEORGIA 29 September- 4 October 2019 List of speakers’ CVs 30 September, Monday .................................................................................................................................. 3 H.E. Carl HARTZELL ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Tamar KHULORDAVA .................................................................................................................................. 3 Archil TALAKVADZE ..................................................................................................................................... 4 Giorgi KANDELAKI ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Gigo BOKERIA .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Tinatin BOKUCHAVA ................................................................................................................................... 6 Akaki Zoidze ................................................................................................................................................ 7 Dimitri TSKITISHVILI .................................................................................................................................... 7 Otar KAKHIDZE ...........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Policy Paper Kremlin's Information War: Why Georgia Should Develop State Policy on Countering Propaganda
    Policy Paper 22 August, 2016 Kremlin’s Information War: Why Georgia Should Develop State Policy on Countering Propaganda 1| IDFI – Kremlin’s Information War against Georgia Contents Abstract ....................................................................................... 4 Introduction ................................................................................. 5 Context: Information as a Weapon ....................................... 5 Why is Propaganda a Problem ................................................ 6 Methodology and Limitations .................................................. 6 Definition of Terms ...................................................................... 7 Goals and Characteristics of Kremlin Propaganda ................ 8 Content General Characteristics of Kremlin Propaganda .............. 8 Goals of Kremlin Propaganda in Georgia ............................ 8 Main Messages of Kremlin Propaganda in Georgia ......... 9 Kremlin Propaganda Channels in Georgia ............................... 9 Goals and Characteristics of Media Organizations ................................................................... 9 Russian Media on Georgian Television .............................. 10 Kremlin Propaganda Non-Governmental Organizations ....................................... 10 Political Parties............................................................................ 11 Kremlin Propaganda Georgian Orthodox Church .................................................... 12 Channels in Georgia Results of Kremlin
    [Show full text]
  • Board of Trustees
    CSIS Georgia Forum Meeting Notes: GEORGIA’S KEY FOREIGN POLICY CHALLENGES Levan Mikeladze, Georgian Ambassador to the United States and Canada Revaz Adamia, Georgian Ambassador to the United Nations Thursday, November 21, 2002 Main points by Ambassador Mikeladze Introduction • While unfortunately Georgia has plenty of problems, most of the domestic and foreign policy problems are related to Georgian-Russian bilateral relations. They are a direct product of Russian policy in Georgia and the region • Georgia is not alone in this regard—all FSU republics had similar problems with the Russian Federation • The question is what Russia does and does not want from the former Soviet Republics. The answer is, Russia still does not accept the sovereignty of its former republics • Russia has suspended the application of international law in its dealings with Georgia. Its policy toward Georgia is hostile, aggressive, and humiliating • There are a number of facts to support this: o Permanent violation of Georgian airspace and bombardments o Non-implementation of Istanbul commitments (regarding withdrawal and closure of Russian military bases) o Sending paratroopers into the Kodori Valley o Supporting the separatist movements in Georgia o Refusing to extradite Igor Giorgadze (accused of attempting to assassinate Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze) o Psychological and media warfare against Georgia • Four reasons for Russia’s negative attitude towards Georgia: o Georgia’s move toward the West o President Shevardnadze’s role in the break-up of the Soviet Union o Persistent Georgian requests for Russian withdrawal from military bases o East-West pipeline projects that bypass Russia Acute Problems in the Georgian-Russian Relationship Pankisi Gorge • Five years ago, most Georgians had probably never heard of the Pankisi Gorge, but today it is well-known in the entire world.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia Country Handbook This Handbook Provides Basic Reference Information on Georgia, Including Its Geography, History, Govern
    Georgia Country Handbook This handbook provides basic reference information on Georgia, including its geography, history, government, military forces, and communications and trans- portation networks. This information is intended to familiarize military per sonnel with local customs and area knowledge to assist them during their assignment to Georgia. The Marine Corps Intel ligence Activity is the community coordinator for the Country Hand book Program. This product reflects the coordinated U.S. Defense Intelligence Community position on Georgia. Dissemination and use of this publication is restricted to official military and gov- ernment personnel from the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, NATO member countries, and other countries as required and desig- nated for support of coalition operations. The photos and text reproduced herein have been extracted solely for research, comment, and information reporting, and are intended for fair use by designated personnel in their official duties, including local reproduction for training. Further dissemination of copyrighted material contained in this document, to include ex- cerpts and graphics, is strictly prohibited under Title 17, U.S. Code. CONTENTS KEY FACTS .................................................................... 1 U.S. MISSION ................................................................. 2 U.S. Embassy .............................................................. 2 Travel Advisories ........................................................ 3
    [Show full text]
  • After the Rose Revolution: Building Georgia's Future
    After the Rose Revolution: Building Georgia’s Future CSIS Statesmen’s Forum with Zurab Zhvania Prime Minister of Georgia April 26, 2004 CSIS hosted the Prime Minister of Georgia, Zurab Zhvania, on April 26 for a CSIS Statesmen's Forum, “After the Rose Revolution: Building Georgia's Future.” Prime Minister Zhvania spoke about recent political and economic reform in Georgia, challenges for the future, and prospects for deepening the Georgian-U.S. partnership. Accompanying Zhvania to the United States were Georgia's Minister of Finance Zurab Noghaideli and Minister of Defense Gela Bezhuashvili. Georgia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Revaz Adamia and Ambassador to the United States Levan Mikeladze also attended the meeting, chaired by Dr. John Hamre, President and CEO of CSIS. Prime Minister Zhvania’s remarks are summarized below. After the “Revolution of Roses” Prime Minister Zhvania last spoke at CSIS in 2002. At that time, he was a member of the political opposition. He sought to persuade the audience that Georgian civil society had the potential to pull off a peaceful transition and to bring a new generation of leaders to power. Now, in 2004, he represents this new generation of leaders that, in the Prime Minister’s words, has emerged out of one of the most peaceful revolutions in world history. Since the election of President Mikheil Saakashvili in January 2004, questions have been raised regarding the ability of Georgia’s new government to make good on its promises to improve political and economic life in Georgia. Zhvania sought to dispel these doubts. The Georgian government recognizes that it has a window of opportunity to implement necessary reforms, and that it will not enjoy the confidence and support of the population indefinitely.
    [Show full text]
  • Armed Conflict in Georgia: a Case Study in Humanitarian Action and Peacekeeping
    Occasional Paper #21 ARMED CONFLICT IN GEORGIA: A CASE STUDY IN HUMANITARIAN ACTION AND PEACEKEEPING S. Neil MacFarlane, Larry Minear, and Stephen D. Shenfield i Occasional Papers is a series published by The Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies Brown University, Box 1970 2 Stimson Avenue Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: (401) 863-2809 Fax: (401) 863-1270 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.brown.edu/Departments/Watson_Institute/ Publications/acrobat_pub.shtml Thomas J. Biersteker, Ph.D., Director Thomas G. Weiss, Ph.D., Associate Director Frederick F. Fullerton, Assistant Editor Amy M. Langlais, Staff Assistant Statements of fact or opinion are solely those of the authors; their publication does not imply endorsement by the Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies. Copyright © 1996 by the Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for Interna- tional Studies. All rights reserved under International and Pan American Convention. No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic or me- chanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information stor- age and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Occasional Papers, Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies. ii CONTENTS Preface ......................................................................................... v Executive Summary ................................................................. ix Acronyms.................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Government Public Relations in the Nation-Building of Georgia
    GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS IN THE NATION-BUILDING OF GEORGIA Maia Mateshvili A thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Mass Communication in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Chapel Hill 2008 Approved by: Elizabeth Dougall Lucila Vargas John Reid © 2008 Maia Mateshvili ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT MAIA MATESHVILI: Government Public Relations in the Nation-Building of Georgia (Under the direction of Elizabeth Dougall, Lucila Vargas, John Reid) On May 10, 2005, President Mikheil Saakashvili delivered a public speech to commemorate President George W. Bush’s historic visit to the country of Georgia. President Bush’s visit was an indication of the U.S.’s support of pro-Western, democratic nation- building processes initiated by Saakashvili’s administration following the Rose Revolution in 2003. Within the framework of this thesis, textual analysis of President Saakashvili’s welcoming address is conducted to uncover the embedded ideology and to identify the frames developed in the speech. Subsequently, local and international print media coverage is examined through qualitative content analysis to determine how news media covered the speech. The goal of this study is to suggest how the Georgian government can facilitate the country’s democratization by using government public relations as a strategic planning tool, and by integrating public relations approaches into the communication component of the nation-building. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and express profound appreciation to the members of my thesis committee for their continuous guidance and support.
    [Show full text]
  • USAID Country Profile: Georgia October 2005
    USAID Country Profile: Georgia October 2005 Capital: Tbilisi Population (2002): 4.7 million (2004 est.) GDP(current US$): $3.99 billion (2003) Population below national poverty line (2003): 55% GDP per capita (current US$): $2,500 (2004 est. - purchasing power) Religion: Georgian Orthodox 65%, Muslim 11%, Russian Orthodox 10%, Armenian Apostolic 8%, other 6% Language: Georgian (official), Abkhaz also official language in Abkhazia President: Mikheil Saakashvili Prime Minister: Zurab Nogaideli Ambassador to US: Levan Mikeladze National Interest: U.S. national interest in Georgia stems most importantly from its being a staunch ally. As the western portal to the Great Silk Road and the newest conduit of Caspian oil to world markets, Georgia has become a strategic gateway of energy and trade routes linking East and West. With U.S. support, Georgia’s potential to be a vibrant, free-market democracy strengthens its capacity to be a stabilizing force in the region. Many concerns remain, however, such as endemic corruption, concentration of executive power, and unresolved internal conflicts, which hamper Georgia’s overall development prospects and warrant ongoing engagement. OVERVIEW OF USAID'S FOCUS IN GEORGIA FY 2005: Total FSA - $87.9 million; USAID Total - $55.525 million Economic Growth (FY05 $14 million, 25%): This program is designed to support and improve sustained economic growth while reforming underlying factors that have impeded development, including corruption and poor governance. USAID activities focus on strengthening GOG institutions to implement economic, fiscal and agricultural policy reforms (DAI, BearingPoint), and improving the environment for business development through commercial law reform, land privatization, agribusiness development, and access to financial services for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
    [Show full text]
  • Georgia's 2010 Constitution THESIS Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of
    Georgia’s 2010 Constitution THESIS Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Emma Cerelia Pratt Graduate Program in Slavic and East European Studies The Ohio State University 2011 Master's Examination Committee: Professor Goldie Shabad, Advisor Professor Nicholas Breyfogle Professor Jennifer Suchland Copyright by Emma Cerelia Pratt 2011 Abstract Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Republic of Georgia’s Constitution has been rewritten, amended, and reinterpreted many times, including major changes following the Rose Revolution that significantly strengthened the power of the presidency. Most recently, further changes to the Constitution were approved by Parliament on October 15, 2010. The 2010 amendments, which will come into effect in 2013 after the next Presidential election, constitute a major revision of the previous decision-making rules and significantly change state structures, such that the amended document is often referred to in the press and by the public as an entirely new constitution. In these amendments, the power of the President is decreased while the Prime Minister is empowered, bringing the structure of the Georgian government closer to that of a Western European parliamentary democracy. However, these changes open the door to criticism that the changes are intended to preserve President Saakashvili’s personal power after he leaves the Presidency by creating a strong Prime Ministerial position for him to fill. Moreover, the judiciary is given greater independence, the procedures of a no-confidence vote are changed, the requirements to hold government office are altered, and future Constitutional amendments will be procedurally more difficult.
    [Show full text]
  • Towards Unlocking Georgia's European Perspective
    TOWARDS UNLOCKING GEORGIA’S EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE CONTENT The European Perspective of Georgia: How to Bring Closer the Future 08 Archil Gegeshidze Case studies of EU member states: Czech Republic’s Path to the European Union Pavlína Janebová 26 Normativity, Persuasion and “Mending” History: Hungarian Pre-Accession Perspectives 34 on EU Membership in the 1990s Gergely Romsics Poland’s Transformation and EU Membership: Editor: Archil Gegeshidze Lessons for Georgia 43 Contributors: Ekaterine Baramidze, Tamar Kldeiseli, Eter Sajaia, Adam Reichardt Teona Sekhniashvili, Sopho Tsikoridze, Tamar Mikeladze, Mariam Jakeli Technical Editors: Tengo Darashili, Nino Gongadze Slovakia’s Lessons From EU Accession: Implications for Georgia 52 Translators: Lali Kereselidze, Nino Mirazanashvili Vladimír Bilčík Proofreading: Kate Ruth Davies Case studies of EU Candidate countries: Montenegro in the Process of EU Integration Momčilo Radulović 60 The views, opinions and statements expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs only and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Open Society Georgia Foundation Serbia’s EU Integration Process (OSGF) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). Therefore, the OSFG and the FES are not responsible 71 for the content of the informational material. Maja Bobić © 2018, The levan Mikeladze Foundation ISBN 978-9941-8-0491-5 4 5 Foreword foreword Official relations between Georgia and the European Union began as early as the 1990s with the To this end, the Levan Mikeladze Foundation, with the financial support of the International Viseg- signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Ever since, the relationship has developed rad Fund and Open Society Foundation, and in partnership with The Friedrich Ebert Foundation, steadily: the process of integrating Georgia into the internal institutions of the European Union has conducted the project – ‘Towards Unlocking Georgia’s EU perspective’.
    [Show full text]
  • CONFERENCE SPEAKERS Larry Diamond Director of CDDRL at Stanford University
    Tbilisi, Georgia March 26-27 2015 Courtyard Marriott Hotel CONFERENCE SPEAKERS Larry Diamond Director of CDDRL at Stanford University Larry Diamond is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Stud- ies, where he directs the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law. Diamond also serves as the Peter E. Haas Faculty Co-Director of the Haas Center for Public Service at Stanford. He is the founding co-editor of the Journal of Democracy and also serves as Senior Consultant (and previously was co-director) at the International Fo- rum for Democratic Studies of the National Endowment for Democracy. During 2002-3, he served as a consultant to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and was a contributing author of its report Foreign Aid in the National Interest. He has also advised and lectured to the World Bank, the United Nations, the State Depart- ment, and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies dealing with governance and development. His latest book, The Spirit of Democracy: The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World (Times Books, 2008), explores the sources of global democratic progress and stress and the prospects for future democratic expansion. At Stanford University, Diamond is also professor by courtesy of political science and sociology. He teaches courses on comparative democratic development and post-conflict democracy building, and advises many Stanford students. In May 2007, he was named “Teacher of the Year” by the Associated Students of Stanford University for teaching that “transcends political and ideological barriers.” At the June 2007 Commencement ceremony, Diamond was honored by Stanford University with the Dinkelspiel Award for Distinctive Contributions to Undergraduate Education.
    [Show full text]
  • FMA Visit to Georgia 2019
    FMA Visit to Georgia 2019 FMA Secretariat Office JAN 2 Q 73 European Parliament B-1047 Brussels Tel: +322.284.07.03 Fax: +332.284.09.89 E-mail: [email protected] I. Index Index ____________________________________________________________________ I A Brief History of Georgia __________________________________________________ 3 II Political System in Georgia_________________________________________________ 9 1. Presentation of the Georgian Political System_____________________________ 9 3. Georgian Political Actors in 2019______________________________________ 17 III Economic Situation in Georgia_____________________________________________ 29 1. The World Bank in Georgia- Country Snapshot____________________________ 29 2. Economist Intelligence Unit - Country Report____________________________ 35 IV Georgia’s Human Rights situation__________________________________________ 51 V Georgia’s Foreign Policy __________________________________________________ 59 1. Relations with the EU VI Practical Information____________________________________________________ 79 1. Must see in Tbilisi__________________________________________________ 81 2. Practical Information_______________________________________________ 85 1 2 II A Brief History of Georgia 3 4 A Brief History of Georgia Georgians live and breathe their history as a vital key to their national and regional identities today. Early kingdoms The Georgians know themselves as Kartvelebi, tracing their origins to Noah’s great-great-grandson Kartlos. In classical times the two principal
    [Show full text]