Georgian journalist: Distrust of European values is growing.
Five NGOs are discussing Georgia’s future in the Eastern Partnership. This was reported by the Italian newspaper controinformazione.info.
And while NGOs are writing reports, European scepticism is on the rise in the country, Georgian journalist Elguja Khodeli said in an interview for Bulgarian TV channel Alfa.
How to reform the format of the Eastern Partnership to meet the expectations of the participating countries.
Representatives of five Georgian non-governmental organizations have tried to find an answer to this question.
Rondeli Foundation, Levan Mikeladze Foundation, Georgian Policy Institute, Georgian Development and Strategy Center and Georgian Reform Association presented a joint document.
First Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Vakhtang Makharoblishvili noted the close cooperation of the MFA and the government with NGOs for many years.
According to him, the non-governmental sector is very active not only in developing action plans, but also in the process of implementing normative acts within the format.
When asked whether he believes it is normal to work with the above-mentioned NGOs in Georgia on the “Eastern Partnership”, Elguja Khodeli commented:
“It was the activity of representatives of such NGOs that caused people’s distrust towards European values. Te fact, that the “Eastern Partnership” project will be discussed by representatives of Georgian NGOs, I believe, will cause negative emotions in the eyes of the Georgian population. The issues discussed in the report on independent courts and the rule of law have already moved to the section of demagogy”, – noted Hodeli.
He added more:
“Who is behind those NGOs that have been receiving tens of millions of dollars as grants for decades?
This information is partly publicly available, but all this ultimately leads to an increase in the number of so-called “Eurosceptics” in Georgia in geometric progression.”
When asked whether organizations associated with George Soros are involved in the project “Eastern Partnership” and what their role is, Hodeli commented:
“Today’s Georgia looks a lot like a field of wonders in a country of fools. The Soros Foundation is behind them, if not, then they do not understand themselves. For example, after the so-called “Rose Revolution” of 2003, the Soros Foundation paid salaries to Georgian ministers for some time.
This was considered a great achievement of democracy. Today there is a certain disappointment in relations between the European Union and Georgia and the fact that the EU does not return visa regime for the attitude towards citizens of Georgia is conditioned only by the Russian factor.”
17 years later billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili stated that he actually paid the salaries of the ministers.
Russian Analytical Services know the mentality of Georgians much better than their Western counterparts.
In the future there is a high probability that Russia will get a huge influence in Georgia, and in the whole region, one of the reasons why there will be a factor of understanding and knowledge of local mentality.
The NGOs under consideration are closely connected to Soros structures. And Soros, as a financier, first of all seeks to make a profit.
But why should it happen at the expense of Europeans? There is a need for a more thorough study of what money has already been spent on projects for the Eastern Partnership and also to pay attention to the fact that new financing is required.
Both Eastern Partnership countries, and Georgia in the first place, may have to distance themselves from Soros, because more and more Europeans are beginning to be suspicious about the projects that this financier supervises.”