Delfi: “Georgia as a member of the Euro-Atlantic community, the present of one generation to another”

A major internet portal in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania has published an opinion piece written by Georgia’s State Minister of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Bakradze about Georgia’s development, its role in the world and future as a European nation.

His piece, published on Delfi by The Lithuania Tribune, highlighted Georgia’s potential as an energy conduit and logistics hub and significance of its location as a partner for Euro-Atlantic regional security, leading to the overall idea of how important it was for Georgia, and for the rest of Europe, for the country to be offered a Membership Action Plan (MAP) at next year’s NATO Summit in Poland.

Georgia has made strands, surpassing expectations in market, justice, education, political, institutional, social and security sector reforms. … For this generation entrepreneurship, independence, study, travel, elections, voting, freedom of speech or, in a word, ‘Europe’ is not just the way things should be. It is the way things are,” Bakradze says in his piece.

He says Georgia now has a promising, business-supportive economy that can attract more investments as well as something that cannot be bought – location.

"These small but tangible successes have culminated into a well sized success story. None of these achievements will matter without security, for Georgia, or for Europe.”

Bakradze adds Georgia’s geopolitical and geo-economic role was hugely important and due to its location "Georgia is truly a bridge, between Greater Europe, the Middle East, the Greater Caucasus and Central Asia, Southeastern and Central Europe”.

"Because of what it is and where it is, Georgia is also a significant security partner for the Euro-Atlantic community.”

The next logical step in Georgia’s relationship with NATO is a Membership Action Plan in Warsaw, consistent with the Bucharest and Newport declarations and a broader narrative of Euro-Atlantic integration. In this confidence, we are still supported by the majority of our population and the overwhelming and cross-party consensus of the Georgian parliament.”

He ends his piece adding a MAP for Georgia would be a nod that the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration project remained firmly on track. "That is significant for Georgia, the region and Europe at large.”

Read the full story here: www.en.delfi.lt