Georgian political crisis with Sergi Kapanadze
Georgia hopes to join the EU in 2024
Photo by Giorgi Eliozashvili
The country of Georgia is one of the former Soviet states still fighting for autonomy from the Kremlin. With the ongoing Russian military occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, it’s not just an academic discussion.
Today on Black Diplomats we have Dr. Sergi Kapanadze, a professor and politician in the Georgian opposition party. Kapanadze explains why his party has decided not to take their seats in Parliament, their allegations of voter fraud in the last election, and how the United States can help untie this knot.
With hopes of joining the EU and drawing their economy closer to Europe, many in Georgia are fearful they could slide the other direction, ending up looking more like Belarus than Austria. Kapanadze doesn’t believe most members of the ruling Georgian Dream party want a more authoritarian government. He’s not so sure about Georgia prime minister Irakli Garibashvili.
Host Terrell Starr spent two years in Georgia during his time in the Peace Corps, so the fate of the country has a personal stake for him. You can hear his love for the Georgian people all through this conversation.
Thank you for listening!
Dr. Sergi Kapanadze
In 2016-2020 Dr. Kapanadze was a vice-speaker of the Parliament of Georgia from the European Georgia opposition party. He is also a Professor of Peace Studies, International relations and European integration at the Ilia State University (Tbilisi) and a Jean Monnet Professor at the Caucasus University (Tbilisi). Before joining politics he served as the director of the think tank - Georgia’s Reforms Associates (Tbilisi). In 2015-2016 he was a member of the OSCE Panel of Eminent Persons on European security. Dr. Kapanadze has previously held the post of the deputy Foreign Minister (2011-2012) and other senior posts at the foreign service of Georgia, during which he led Georgian delegations in various negotiations with Russia, European Union and United States.
He holds PhD in International relations from the Tbilisi State University (2011) and MA in International Relations and European Studies from the Central European University (2003, Budapest, Hungary). He was awarded a Presidential of Order of Excellence in 2011 and holds the diplomatic rank of Envoy Plenipotentiary.
Follow him on Twitter.