Georgia faces serious challenges amid Western engagement shifts, political analyst Chitadze

Georgia is facing “very serious challenges,” as evidenced by the fact that the US Vice President is visiting Armenia and Azerbaijan but has no planned visit to Georgia, political analyst Nika Chitadze told Front News on Monday.

The analyst claimed the country is increasingly diverging from the ideological and geopolitical framework of the Western democratic world.

“Georgia is facing very serious problems. This is illustrated by the fact that the US Vice President is visiting Armenia and Azerbaijan, but there is no planned visit to Georgia. In the past, during the so-called ‘bloody nine years,’ George W. Bush visited Georgia. The situation today is different. Georgia is moving away from the ideological and geopolitical standards of the Western democratic world, and this is the reality,” Chitadze said.

He added that if Georgia wanted to remain part of the international democratic community, it must uphold fundamental human rights and ensure the rule of law.

“For Georgia to progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration, it must align itself with Western values. Without respect for human rights - which is one of the European Union’s main requirements - advancement within Euro-Atlantic structures will not be possible,” Chitadze stressed.