Ilia State University host conference on EU’s future

Tbilisi: A conference was held on June 10 at Ilia State University on the topic of “European Union today: integration challenges, opportunities and perspectives.” Students from various postgraduate and graduate courses attended the conference.

Students currently pursuing the study of political science, international relations, European science, public administration, sociology, and others participated in the conference, which also participated in  a poster competition.

Many topics  were discussed on  the occasion  including the following:

1. Three thematic panel discussions
2. Internal challenges of the European Union: nationalism, populism, and the consequences of democracy
3. European Union and the turbulent international order
4. Georgia-European Union relations: challenges and prospects with special focues on the foreign agent’s law

All the participants presented reports and posters based on their research and perspectives on different EU topics. They also extended their suggestions about how the status of the European Union and Georgian relations can be improved, keeping the controversy of foreign agents law aside. All the students who participated in the conference were given a certificate of participation.

It is to be added that due to the controversy around the the foreign agent’s law, some international law experts fear that this may affect the process of the Georgian integration into the European Union. Many office bears of the Europan Union and other member countries of the Europan Union also criticized the move of the ruling Georgian Dream party to stifle the independent media voices with the passing of this law  sometimes also called the Russian law by the opponents.

The participating students also had the opportunity to share their views from the dais. They stressed that the Georgian candidate status granted by the Europan Council was a significant development for Georgina’s aspiration to become a full member of the Europan Union in the future.

The Georgian opposition parties and many civil society organisations are also supporting Georgia’s move to join the European Union.