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What makes Georgia European and what can it bring to Europe? This was one of the topics discussed at the event of the Center for European Studies, which was also attended by several ambassadors accredited to Hungary.
The main topic of the discussion was the prospects and opportunities for Georgia's accession to the European Union.
Georgia received the European Commission's recommendation for candidate status on 8 November, and a decision on whether to grant it must be taken in Brussels by 15 December, while Georgia must fulfill the 9-point criteria in the meantime.
Archil Karaulashvili, Director General of the EU Integration Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, stressed that accession is not just about geography, its citizens are Europeans and history backs them up. Moreover, Georgia's potential would contribute to the diversification of the European market and would also promote the spread of democracy in a fragile region where Russia remains present, including in the two breakaway and occupied territories in the north of Georgia.
Although Georgia has not established diplomatic relations with Russia for years, minor armed conflicts continue to occur on the borders of the occupied territories. Will Georgia's accession to the EU affect the position of the breakaway territories? If so, in what direction and when will the integration of the Caucasus state take place?