In 1920, the free and independent Sakartvelo strived for membership in the League of Nations, but our newly born democracy was not admitted to the then most prestigious international body due to the lack of supporting votes. This was a case that saw Georgia aspiring to membership of a good union of nations, but being rejected in cold blood. Right after this, in 1921, the beaten Democratic Republic of Georgia loathed to become the part of the USSR, but was forced to do so, pulled inexorably into the despised caboodle called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. It’s plainly heartbreaking: when you want it, you get an axe, and when you hate it, they drag you in.
It took Georgia almost 70 years to break away from the tentacles of the communist soviet regime and breathe in once again the fresh air of national freedom and independence, right after which the idea was born that Georgia should become a member of NATO. It has yet to happen, although the dream of joining the ranks of free, powerful and prosperous European nations has never faded. The possibility of membership is currently in abeyance, especially as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, but Georgia is still poised to become a member of the Alliance in the wake of the widely popular eastern expansion of the Organization. Meanwhile the list of Georgia’s memberships in some of the most prominent international organizations, among them the UN, IMF and OSCE, has been happily augmented and, finally, we are at the doorstep of the famous European Union.
Well, it has taken us a little longer than we had expected it would, but better late than never, as the saying goes. What was supposed to happen is happening right now, the anticipated result looming on the horizon this week; the announcement due just a day after this newspaper goes to print. It no longer makes sense to continue discussing all the pros and cons that were the subject of exacerbated discourse among various political forces. We are all tired of those interminable recriminations, concerning who did (or didn’t do) what to achieve the great goal. The only thing that really matters now is that this nation emerges a winner out of the entire din and bustle.
Nothing was easy in the preliminary EU-Georgian formal intercourse, which was to turn into a love-affair and warranted marriage. In the compounded process, demands were to be met, duties to be fulfilled, and areas to be covered, among those, democracy, rule of law, judicial reform and fundamental rights as the most important priorities. Naturally, the nation, having been boiling in the authoritarian socialist political broth for quite a while, needed some time and stamina to pull itself together and face the new democratic capitalist realty with dignity and self-control. To become a well-thought-of member of the totally novel socio-political and economic bunch is a huge deal, one which necessitates numerous changes within and beyond the extant body of rules, precepts, manners, dogmas and regulations.
The EU membership candidacy justifies the popular adage that being a Georgian means being a European: it fortifies the chance of our westernization and reveals some light at the end of our geopolitical tunnel. What else can we do? After all, it’s only 30 odd years that Georgia has nursed this cherished idea of marrying into the western family of nations. Let’s now live up to the expectations of our future household! Could Sakartvelo survive without the much-talked-and-thought-about status of candidacy of the Union? Probably! But we are not talking just about survival: The whole pepped and elevated discourse is about the guarantees of our national security, about the inviolability of our state borders, about a fitting environment for our spirituality, about the survival of our indigenous cultural values, about the winsome governance of our political life and our economic efficiency. There are both the sense and promise in our hearts and minds that all of this will be taken better care of in closeness to and in cooperation with the West. This is exactly why we are so enthusiastically congratulating each other with what has now become a big word – Candidacy.
Op-Ed by Nugzar B. Ruhadze
