Archives Georgia - Page 7 of 8 - New Eastern Outlook

May 19, Tbilisi, Georgia – It is only starting now that the wheels are down and the first plane from Russia full of passengers landed with the possibility of better and ever-improving relations between Georgia and the Russian Federation. The first step after many years started with visa-free travel and direct flights. However, as an eyewitness to the arrival of the fight plane from Russia last week, and the ensuring token “show of force” by the Georgian opposition, I can understand the risks involved, especially in the realm of public relations and potential EU status. As always, anything that hints…

Very seldom is something that can be so beneficial for one country attracted the wrath of so many others, as in the reaction to Russia affording Georgia visa-free status and direct flights, after so many years of travel and visa restrictions, recriminations, and name-calling. The US and the Georgian president also want to stop flights from resuming between the neighboring countries, which were suspended last year in the wake of the Ukrainian civil war, Russia’s special operation…

So, the EU does not want Georgia now that it refuses to die for Ukraine or open a second front against Russia. It does not want to “Cut off its nose to spite its face”. Georgia’s EU candidacy status has been a carrot dangling from a stick in front of a donkey for many years, and has brought about some good results; however, a Georgian donkey is stubborn, and for good reason. It is so easy to frame everything into simple choices, especially when perceived by outsiders and the naïve…