Tales about “associated membership”

According to the European Commission representative, such phrase as "associated membership" is irrelevant, anyway. "These states are the participants of a certain process; however, the word "membership" is never mentioned. EU has got members, as well as candidate-countries and potential candidate-countries", - the European Commission Representative Office in Moscow underlined.

By the way, Brussels has made an instant remark: Eastern Partnership does not mean that its participants will automatically join European Union; it just implies political and economical rapprochement with this regional organization, while the association agreements have got the same purpose.

Still, the remark does not prevent the Georgians from dreaming about Europe.

Many participants of the project were attracted by the 600-million-euro grants promised by the Europeans during the crisis. However, this amount is distributed between six countries and must be fully paid only by 2013. Besides, 250 million out of the sum has been already allocated on other programs.

Let us remark here that as soon as the Eastern Partnership project appeared the Europeans tried to assure Moscow of its friendliness towards Russia. However, an unpleasant fact was instantly revealed: Belarus was invited on condition of non-recognition of Abkazia and South Ossetia.

Russia's Permanent Representative to EU Vladimir Chizhov stated then that "Russia has got nothing against the CIS countries' cooperation with European Union and their possible membership in EU".

"We are against putting the CIS countries (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia (which was part of Commonwealth then), Moldova, Ukraine - ed.) before a made-up dilemma: either to move forward with EU to a better tomorrow, or move backward with Russia", - the Russian politician explained.

To some extent, Russia is as well oriented at the western life standards. As to Georgia, the integration into EU is considered to be a salvation for the country.

For instance, in the opinion of political expert Ramaz Klimiashvili, the Eastern Partnership will help Georgians become more law-abiding. "We are offered some European Union-style model and should it prove to be efficient, perhaps, all these countries with their common market will be admitted as members", - Klimiashvili stated last December.

However, Brussels is ware of making any precise statements on the European Partnership countries' perspective in EU, which allows the experts to rather expect a negative answer.

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