Chances of Georgia joining EU "low"

by Nino Kopaleishvili

Interview with Charles Grant published in The Messenger, Georgia: 24 June 2005

The chances of Georgia joining the EU are low, Director of the Centre for European Reform Charles Grant stated in an interview with The Messenger.

Grant, who visited Georgia on June 21-23, stresses that the country needs to focus first on transformation, although he adds that even then

"I would not say that Georgia will never join but the chances of joining in the next 15 years are zero and the best way for Georgia is to put forward the kind of reforms to the judiciary, to the administration, to the economy, to all conditions that the E.U. is asking for," he says.

Grant recommends that Georgia try to follow the example of Turkey, although he admits that Turkey's chances of becoming an EU member are also not high, especially after the French and Dutch rejection of the EU constitution.

"One thing that the French and Dutch referendums show is that public opinion is quite hostile to membership and we won't let members come in unless political leaders can persuade the people in Europe that it is a good thing," he states.

Commenting on the issue of Georgian-Russian relations, Grant stresses that Russia bears "a substantial part of blame" for the tension between the two countries.

However, Grant considers that Georgia's approach to South Ossetian conflict last summer was a mistake and stresses the country should settle conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in a peaceful way.

"We have to persuade the Russians slowly, patiently that they should basically pull out of Georgia, including South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The EU can perhaps help; the EU can try and persuade Russia that it is in Russia's interest to have a friendly relationship with Georgia," he says.

Turning to the reforms that have taken place in Georgia since the Rose Revolution, Grant expresses concern that television channels are less critical of the government and also that the budget of the defense ministry lacks transparency.

"There is a lack of transparency in the defense budget that NATO is not happy with," he states.

Charles Grant is director of the Centre for European Reform.