Euro-Atlantic Discourse in Georgia ─ The Making of Georgian Foreign and Domestic Policy After the Rose Revolution

How have discourses of Euro-Atlanticism been used in domestic and international affairs by the political elite in Georgia? After the 2003 Rose Revolution, as relations with Russia soured, a Euro-Atlantic orientation portrayed as a single and coherent strategy became the cornerstone of Georgian foreign policy as well as a model for domestic reforms. This promise of a prosperous future offered new hope to the Georgian population. Scepticism or critical thinking towards President Saakashvili and his government were equated to pro-Russian treason and pro-western orientation and impressive reforms, promoted as being modelled along ’European standards’, emerged simultaneously with an outspoken rhetoric and active symbolism. References to Europe and the Euro-Atlantic structures became ubiquitous as European flags were brandished throughout the country. Addressing a gap in the existing literature the author examines a large volume of data extracted from news items from 20 different Georgian and International media channels over a ten-year period. Through this he identifies patterns in the discourse to explain the intentions of the Georgian elite and examines the effectiveness of the rhetoric.

Frederik Coene is currently Head of Operations Section in the Delegation of the European Union to Belarus. He has previously worked in Chechnya, Abkhazia, Tajikistan, Georgia and Belgium for different non-governmental organisations and EU institutions. He holds an MA in Commercial Sciences and in Caucasian and Central Asian Studies, as well as a PhD in Political Sciences. He is also the author of several articles and books on the Caucasus.