EUR 100m EU Assistance Package for Georgia

New EUR 100 million assistance package from the European Union will support reforms related to the EU-Georgia Association Agreement and agreements on mobility, the European Commission said on November 27.

“With the Association Agreement, the EU-Georgia relations have moved to another level. The assistance package will support central elements in this ever closer relationship,” said Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, who is visiting Tbilisi.

The European Commission said that the assistance package aims at helping Georgia in meeting its reform objectives in the sectors of public administration, agriculture and rural development, as well as to promote an active civil society, and to assist the country advance its visa liberalisation process with the EU.

According to the European Commission half of the EUR 100 million assistance will be allocated for programs aimed at agriculture, improving food safety and quality standards, and making farmers more competitive.

EUR 30 million will be directed towards supporting Georgian public administration; improving public service delivery, and supporting local government reform including decentralization of responsibilities.

EUR 14 million was allocated for assisting Georgia to meet EU standards in energy, transport, electronic communications, environment, visa liberalisation, migration, fight against organized crime and domestic violence.

EUR 6 million is allocated to encourage an active civil society organizations and to help them become financially sustainable.

After meeting PM Irakli Garibashvili in Tbilisi on November 27, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn said that Georgia has already made “remarkable efforts” in implementing the Association Agreement.

He said that he also discussed “very frankly” with the PM “remaining challenges”. Hahn said that it’s critical to guarantee calm and respectful political environment, especially ahead of the next year’s parliamentary elections, as well as to respect media freedom and access of opposition parties to free media.

While noting “progress” in the judicial reform, he also said that the EU “keeps opposing any practice of selective, politically motivated justice, including excessive use of pre-trial detention.”