This episode of The IR thinker asks what Georgia’s EU integration really means for democracy, regional security and great power competition, in conversation with David Bujiashvili. The discussion traces the historical and normative drivers behind Georgia’s European choice, the EU’s response to Tbilisi’s membership application, and how narratives around democracy, the rule of law and human rights are communicated – or distorted – at home, including via Russian disinformation. We look at early reform challenges, the current stage of the accession process and why it has stalled, as well as the practical impact of the Association Agreement, the DCFTA and visa liberalisation. The episode also examines the future of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the lessons Georgia has drawn from Central European accessions, the effects of the war in Ukraine, and how shifting roles of Russia and China in the South Caucasus feed back into EU–Georgia relations and the Union’s own enlargement strategy.

David Bujiashvili

David Bujiashvili is a distinguished expert on European affairs with more than 25 years of experience in EU integration and assistance coordination. He holds a PhD in Economics and a Master’s in International Economic Relations, combining academic depth with extensive diplomatic and policy practice.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, he served as Director of the EU Assistance Coordination and Sectoral Integration Department, where he played a pivotal role in overseeing the implementation of the EU–Georgia Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). His work focused on aligning Georgian legislation with the EU acquis, ensuring inter-institutional coordination through sectoral working groups, and drafting key EU-related strategies and action plans.

Dr Bujiashvili has chaired Association Committees and Sub-Committees in negotiations with the European Commission, coordinated Georgia’s EU Accession Questionnaire (2021–2022), and organised strategic communication and public outreach campaigns on EU integration. He has also worked extensively with civil society and the business community on sectoral reforms, while serving as focal point for major EU assistance tools such as Twinning, TAIEX, SIGMA, INTERREG, and anti-fraud mechanisms in cooperation with OLAF.

Publications:

EU-Georgia Association Agreement and Visa Liberalization Under Question

Content

00:00 – Introduction

02:37 – Historical and Normative Drivers of Georgia’s EU Integration

14:10 – EU Response to Georgia’s Membership Application

17:01 – Democracy, Rule of Law, and Human Rights Narratives

18:26 – Public Access to EU Information During Accession

21:22 – Example of Russian Disinformation Campaigns

23:31 – Early Challenges of Reform and Implementation

26:19 – Current Stage of Georgia–EU Accession

29:37 – Why Has the Accession Process Stalled?

32:32 – Georgian Representation in the EU Today

34:56 – The Future of Abkhazia and South Ossetia

37:03 – Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA)

39:34 – EU Visa Liberalisation and Georgia

43:17 – Learning from Central European EU Accession Experiences

45:26 – Forms and Practice of Regional Cooperation

48:03 – Impact of the War in Ukraine

50:37 – Russia’s Changing Role in the South Caucasus

52:32 – China’s Influence on EU–Georgia Relations

54:02 – Lessons for the EU from Georgia’s Accession Experience

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