International Conference “The European Way of Georgia” in Batumi

The 14th international conference “The European way of Georgia” took place in Batumi, Georgia on July 13-14.

The conference represented one of the best platforms for debating a number of key issues such as geopolitical security, economic challenges in the European Union and its neighborhood and the role of Eastern Partnership Countries in this process.

The conference’s main agenda covered a modern concept of security in Europe, new forms of cooperation between the European Union and associated partner countries, Georgia’s role in stability within the region.

On the first session on July 13, among the issues raised for discussion were: global strategy of international and security policies of the European Union, its results for the regional security; trade connections between the East and West, role of Georgia in energy supply diversification of Europe and ongoing projects; consistent harmonization with the EU energy legislation and Georgia’s accession to energy union – benefits, challenges and future plans; Georgia as a potential supplier of renewable energy; importance of cooperation and interconnections in the sphere of energy and their influence on the regional security.

Vice-Premier and Minister of International Affairs, Mikheil Janelidze spoke about significant experiences that Georgia received as a provider of the international security and noted Georgia’s important geopolitical location. Janelidze thinks that Georgia plays a main strategic role because of transporting natural resources to Europe. In his speech, Minister named the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Supsa oil pipelines as major international projects that would support supplying the Caspian Sea resources to the European market without any delays. While participating in these projects “Georgia proves that she is a trustful partner and an important participant in the system of energy-security of Europe.”

Member of the European Parliament Rebecca Harms gave recommendations to the government of Georgia to create a proper legislation regarding the renewable energy resources and mentioned that government of Georgia should keep in mind that building energy stations has its climate change challenges.

The second session “Truth, Lie and Trust: Populism and Game without Rules” was held on the same day. The key point of the speeches and questions were regarding the challenges of modern informational environment, falsified information and cyber-attacks as tools for changing the international policy aims of the countries, discrediting western values and affective instruments for dividing the society; How vulnerable are the neighboring countries of Russia towards disinformation actions? How to recognize disinformation and protect the society from it, regain and keep trust among the members of society.

The third session “Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area: Future of Georgia” was devoted to the implementation of DCFTA agreement agenda; role of Parliament in monitoring the implementation process of agreement; successful practices of cooperation with the civil society; new agenda of the association – priorities, expectations and further development.

The conference speakers also paid their attention to the modern challenges such as: hybrid wars, terrorism and migration crisis; occupied and annexed territories in Europe and expected aggression of Russia; Georgia’s role in the implementation of common security and defense policy of Europe; conflicts in the region and ways of their resolution for providing peace, stability and security.

The occupied territories of Georgia had been one of the main issues of discussion for local and international representatives during the conference. The Georgian government and political leaders from Europe agree on the peaceful solution of the problem and believe that economic and democratic development of the country will help Georgia to gain the territorial integrity in the frame of internationally recognized borders of Georgia.