Kyiv Post: “Why Russia’s soft-power campaign in Georgia will fail”

Russia and the European Union (EU) are powerful nations that are using soft-power to influence Georgia in the direction they prefer.

After threatening Georgia for years, then invading it, Russia is trying soft power to achieve an objective it was unable to obtain with hard power: preventing Tbilisi from embracing the European Union and NATO. Meanwhile, the EU is also using soft power to try to persuade Georgia to maintain its pro-European course.

In an opinion piece for the Kyiv Post, Armenia-based human rights activist Armine Sahakyan explores the soft power exerted by both sides on Georgia, mostly in a tit-for-tat manner, and why the country is destined to side with the EU over its near neighbour.

Polls indicate that the vast majority [of Georgian’s] continue to believe, as they have since independence in 1991, that the EU and NATO are their best hope for the future,” writes Sahakyan.

In recent months some Western journalists suggested that many Georgians have become disillusioned with the West, and that the result is that the country is drifting back toward Russia. Sahakyan agreed that some Georgians had "become irritated with the EU’s stalling on Georgian EU and NATO membership”.

But 300 years of Russian domination of Georgia, deep resentment over Russia’s war with Georgia in 2008, the knowledge that Russian troops occupy 20 percent of Georgia’s territory — the separatist enclaves of Abkhazia and South Ossetia — and Georgians’ long-held view that they are European will make it hard to change the view that Georgia ought to be part of the EU, not Greater Russia.”

Uncertainly about Georgia's European future could be cast aside following the EU recent approval of visa free travel for Georgia. This was"…a clear signal that the EU wants Georgia in Club Europe”.

If the visa-free regime increases Europe-Georgia trade and investment, Georgians will see a concrete as well as psychological reward — and become even more positive about partnering with the continent. I view Russia’s soft-power efforts to prevent Georgia from joining the EU and NATO as too little, too late.”

Read the full article here: www.kyivpost.com