The IX International Conference “Georgia’s European Way – The EU and Its European
Neighbours” in Batumi
will be finished today.
The Conference has been opened by the Vice Prime-Minister,
Giorgi Baramidze.
The President of Georgia Michael Saakashvili, Prime
Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Vladimir Filat, European Commissioner for
Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle, President of the European
People's Party, Wilfried Martens, as well as high officials and representatives
of governments, parliaments, civil society and business from EU Member States,
the Partner Countries and Georgia are participating in the Conference.
The Conference is dedicated to the perspectives of European integration in
Eastern European Neighbourhood as well as democratic reforms and the rule of
law, challenges of global and regional security, economic cooperation with the
EU and people-to-people contacts.
Four thematic sessions are working during the Conference:
Session I – “Democratic Reforms and the
Rule of Law” will discuss the importance of the
success of democracy in the Eastern Europe and
challenges of democratic transformation alongside the issues of free and fair
elections as a key for democratic development. The participants will also draw
attention to the importance of the freedom of media and role of civil society.
Session II – “Challenges of Global
Security” will emphasize on importance of security
and stability for European integration. The issues of democratic development
and economic prosperity in Eastern Europe as
well as the EU’s essential role in promoting security and stability in its
Eastern neighborhood will be the main topics of discussion within the session.
Session III – “Opportunities of Economic
Integration with the EU” will attract participants’
attention to the prospects of economic cooperation between the EU and Eastern
European as well as the issues of economic modernisation through gradual
European integration. The participants will discuss the Deep and Comprehensive
Free Trade Area as a facilitator of economic development and will debate about
the challenges of European integration-related reforms and the importance of
attraction of FDI. Particular attention will be paid to the issues of
advancing energy security of Europe.
Session IV – “Facilitation of
People-to-People contacts as a catalyst for European Integration” will
consider culture, education and science as a bridge between the nations. The
session will discuss the importance of people-to-people contacts for the
solution of conflicts and significance of freedom of movement of people as a
necessary precondition for deepening the integration of societies.
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