The 5th Tbilisi International Conference Kicks off in Rooms Hotel

The 5th Tbilisi International Conference started on September 9 for the 5th consecutive year under the title “Now What”. Organized by the McCain Institute for International Leadership and the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC), the two-day event will focus on solutions and actions on topics related to the future of the Georgian democracy, its Western ambitions and the issues posed by current Russian politics in the region. Panels will also discuss the Baltics, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, state capture, Brexit, and US foreign policy.

Welcoming high-ranked political and diplomatic staff, security experts, activities, policymakers and the business community from the US, Europe, and Georgia, the conference is a major political event for Georgia, underlining the strategic importance of the region in international political affairs.

In his opening speech, Ambassador Kurt Volker, the Executive Director of The McCain Institute for International Leadership reminded the audience that Georgia is “a small country facing very serious challenges” in a difficult geopolitical context. He said he hoped that the move towards the elections can “be seized by the Georgian people and by the politicians to make the Georgian democracy stronger and prove that Georgia deserves all the support and engagement of its foreign partners.” 

The first panel, composed of Archil Talakbasdze, Parliament of Georgia, Giga Bokeria, European Georgia and Salome Samadashbili, UNsM and Stephen Nix from the International Republican Institute, on Monday, debated the future of the Georgian democracy.