EU Suspends Grant Opportunity for Georgian Municipalities
The European Union has suspended grant opportunity for municipalities under the “Creative Compass” project, local media sources report, citing confirmation from the European Delegation in Georgia, following a statement by the mayor of the western Georgian town.
“Creative Compass Georgia” is an EU funded and Goethe Institut-Georgien co-funded and implemented four-year project aimed at supporting sustainable development and employment within cultural and creative industries across Georgia with the focus on industrial and post-industrial municipalities.
On September 2, Giorgi Kharchilava, the Mayor of Tsalenjikha, the only Georgian town run by opposition mayor, revealed a letter from the head of the programme stating that “the opening of another grant opportunity for municipalities in Georgia within the project “Creative Compass Georgia” is currently suspended.” The letter says the decision was made “considering the European Council Conclusions from June 24, 2024, on the state of political situation in Georgia and its impact on the EU assistance.”
The mayor of Tsalenjikha said that the mayors of other municipalities were hiding the information.
European Delegation to Georgia today, September 4, confirmed the information to local online media outlet Netgazeti.
Following Georgia’s adoption of the controversial Foreign Agents Law and the government’s anti-democratic actions, the European Union’s Ambassador to Georgia reported the freezing of 30 million Euros in aid earmarked for the Georgian Ministry of Defense. Georgia’s EU accession process has also been halted.
In addition to the EU, the United States has also cut more than 95 USD in aid to the Georgian government, a part of which has already affected the health and justice sectors.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)
