bne.eu: “Georgian lessons or the CIS”

A thought-provoking article by bne.eu paints a comprehensive picture of Georgia’s recent history, it's current state and future direction. 

The article describes the country’s former leaders, comparing Georgia to nearby countries and debating why Georgia’s move towards European integration should not be viewed through the prism of being "pro” or "anti” Russian, and then lumped into categories of good and bad accordingly.

Mark Adomanis’ article, published today, helps the reader better understand the recent history of Georgia and its influence on the country’s chosen path, and allows them to understand the state of the region after several sides of the issue are considered.

The tiny Caucasus republic of Georgia is arguably the former Soviet Union's star reform pupil. It is close to the top of the World Bank's "Doing Business” ranking, well ahead of many EU countries, and retains the enviable title of the "world's fastest reformer”. … One obvious conclusion in looking at Georgia is that despite its rapid and impressive progress, it is still a very long way from converging with Western European standards of living,” writes Adomanis.

"Georgia’s experience shows both how far the region has come since communism first collapsed and that, despite this progress, the task of transforming the post-Soviet world into a "normal” part of Europe, with efficient bureaucracies, dynamic economies and robust democratic political institutions, remains an amazingly complex and difficult one.”

"Georgia has, in some ways, provided a textbook of how to make changes that are so badly needed across the region. … However, in order to meaningfully converge with Western Europe, CIS countries including Georgia must also enhance their state capacities so that they are capable of effectively managing large-scale infrastructure projects. That’s not going to be easy, but it’s where the region needs to head.”

Read the full article here: www.bne.eu