Sharing Experience of Visegrad Countries for EU Georgia Association Agreement
Since January 2015, the Association of Young Economists of Georgia has been running the project ‘V4 Countries Reforming Experience for Georgia and Ukraine.’ Georgia and Ukraine, as countries aspiring to membership of the European Union (EU), have a lot to learn from the Visegrad (V4) experience. By experience we mean those reforms in social and economic affairs that have been undertaken in the group of four countries: Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary. Trade Remedies, Public Procurement, Competition and Transparency are just the first on the list of policy issues that the experts from V4 will share their insights on with their Georgian colleagues. This experience-sharing will be documented through the publishing of a collection of analytical articles involving international and national experts. Publication in Georgian and English languages will make it usable in Georgia as well as abroad, with special value in particular to Ukraine and other EaP countries. The Visegrad Group - A Central European Constellation is a vivid example of regional cooperation for the rest of the world. In the words of Czech writer and politician, Havel, Václav, former President of Czechoslovakia (1989-1992) and the first President of the Czech Republic (1993-2003) addressing the Polish Parliament in Warsaw on 25 January 1990: “The years of similar destinies and struggles for similar ideals ought therefore to be assessed in the light of genuine friendship and mutual respect; … This authentic friendship - based on a proper understanding of the destiny imposed…, on the common lessons it taught us, and above all on the common ideals that now unite us - should ultimately inform a proper coordination of our policies in a process we both refer to as “the return to Europe.” These words were not just part of an emotional speech but a strong policy direction that worked in practice. Return to Europe has become a real possibility. Now it’s time for other countries aspiring to membership of the EU to take action and return to Europe. The latter is genuinely true for both Ukraine and Georgia. Thanks to the International Visegrad Fund V4, experience is available for Georgia and for Ukraine via the project: Sharing Experience of Visegrad Countries at the Forefront of the EU Georgia Association Agreement.
Offering V4 experience for ongoing matters and for future reformers is what determined the holding of several public lectures at higher educational and civil society organizations in Georgia and Ukraine. The activity covers the following organizations:
Grigol Robakidze University
Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University
Conference office of the Association of Small Towns of Ukraine
Office of Association of Young Economists of Georgia
Discussion of the Visegrad phenomenon and the way cooperation promoted the processes of EU integration of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland was of special interest for young students and civil society representatives.
On 11th December, 2015, a united conference gathering all project experts will be held in Georgia, Tbilisi, where international and national experts will have the opportunity to sum up their recommendations for better policy directions for Ukraine and Georgia with one goal – to speed up the reformation process leading to membership of the European Union.
The project is funded by the Visegrad Fund (http://visegradfund.org/),
Project # 21470096).
Website: http://www.v4eap.ge/
https://www.facebook.com/V4eapge-790425804339223/
Project implemented by: Association of Young Economists of Georgia,
http://www.economists.ge/
Article prepared by Project Expert: Giorgi Kuparadze (CIESR), giorgi.kuparadze@tsuge and Ana Chikovani, Regional Development Institute of Georgia (RDIG).