Sebastian SCHÄFFER: “The best way to preserve freedom is European integration” (watch video or read)

13.10.2025 (Caucasian Journal). Today, Caucasian Journal is pleased to welcome Dr. Sebastian SCHÄFFER, Director of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM) in Vienna, Austria — one of Europe’s oldest and most respected think tanks, dedicated for over 70 years to fostering cooperation, research, and dialogue across Central and Eastern Europe.

 

▶ ქართულად: The Georgian version is here.

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The full text version of the interview is below:

Sebastian SCHÄFFER: “THE BEST WAY TO PRESERVE FREEDOM IS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION”

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Today, CJ is pleased to welcome Dr. Sebastian SCHÄFFER, Director of the Institute for the Danube Region and Central Europe (IDM) in Vienna, Austria. Welcome to Caucasian Journal, Sebastian! You are the head of this Vienna-based think-tank, studying Central and Eastern Europe for many years. How can you introduce IDM to our viewers and readers today? 
   
Sebastian SCHÄFFER: First of all, thank you very much for the invitation. It's a great pleasure to talk to you today, and I'm very honored that we have this possibility.  If I would briefly describe what we are doing - we are centered around what we call “5 P's”. Out of these P's the most important is our Platform. We work with 19 different countries in the wider Danube region, and we have institutions that we work together. 

Helfried CARL: “I just hope that Georgia doesn't miss the train” (watch video or read)

07.10.2025 (Caucasian Journal). Vienna, the capital of Austria, currently holds the prestigious title of European Capital of Democracy. What exactly does it imply, and why was Vienna selected for it? 

To explore this, the Caucasian Journal has the unique opportunity to speak to Mr. Helfried CARL, the Austrian diplomat and political strategist, founder of the European Capital of Democracy and The Innovation In Politics Institute.

 

▶ ქართულად: The Georgian version is here.

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The full text version of the interview is below:

Helfried CARL: “I JUST HOPE THAT GEORGIA DOESN'T MISS THE TRAIN”

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Welcome to Caucasian Journal! What is the "European Capital of Democracy" about, and how are you personally involved in it?
   
Helfried CARL: Thank you very much for the invitation. Okay, so I have probably to start from the very beginning. European Capital of Democracy is about the conviction that grew within me and my friends with whom I am organizing this, that there is a lot of local innovation in the field of democracy going on, and that there are two things we need to do about it:

Andreas THEOPHANOUS: “It's important to utilize the EU - it's an art, it's a knowledge to do it” (watch video or read)

24.09.2025 (Caucasian Journal). Cyprus managed to join the EU in 2004 despite the unresolved division of the island. What were the key factors that made this possible, and what lessons might Georgia draw? 

Our today's guest is Professor Andreas THEOPHANOUS, President of the Cyprus Center for European and International Affairs and former Head of the Department of Politics and Governance at the University of Nicosia. He is one of the country's leading experts on Cyprus’s EU accession, the unresolved division of the island, relations with Turkey, and the challenges of governance in a multiethnic society. Given Georgia’s current EU candidate status and its own territorial disputes, Professor Theophanous’ insights into Cyprus’s unique path into the EU are directly relevant for understanding both the opportunities and constraints facing countries in similar circumstances.

▶ ქართულად: The Georgian version is here.

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Andreas THEOPHANOUS: “IT'S IMPORTANT TO UTILIZE THE EU - IT'S AN ART, IT'S A KNOWLEDGE TO DO IT”

Sadeddine MNEIMNE: “Join us where global capital meets Georgian opportunity!”

10.09.2025 (Caucasian Journal) The Caucasian Journal is honored to welcome Dr. Sadeddine MNEIMNE (Lebanon – UAE), Chairman of AGI Holding and the main driving force behind the upcoming Global Investors Forum (GIF), planned for December 4-6 in Tbilisi. 

As the official media partner of the GIF, the Caucasian Journal interviews the businessman on his background, the business environment in the region, and his vision for the upcoming event.

▶ ქართულად: Read the Georgian version here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of Caucasian Journal: You are a Lebanese entrepreneur based in the Emirates, with significant business interests extending to Georgia. What are three aspects of Georgia you find most appealing—or perhaps challenging?

Sadeddine MNEIMNE: Georgia has a very special place in my journey — in fact, our work in Georgia began three years ago, even before our expansion into the Emirates. It was one of the first markets where I recognized the potential to build long-term, sustainable ventures. Its strategic location as a bridge between Europe and Asia was what initially drew me, because it offers natural access to two continents and lies at the heart of modern Silk Road trade routes.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan TRIPP Agreement: Experts Offer Analysis

13.08.2025 (Caucasian Journal) The recent breakthrough agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, brokered with the assistance of the U.S. President, which establishes the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP)"—also known unofficially as the Zangezur Corridor— has prompted a range of mixed reactions. 

In Georgia, the deal has caused a particular divide. While political rivals like current Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and former President Salome Zourabichvili have found a rare moment of unity in welcoming the development, former President Mikheil Saakashvili has called it "the most serious geopolitical catastrophe for Georgia."

Today, the Caucasian Journal is presenting the opinions of international experts. We reached out to them to answer the following two questions:

▶ What are the likely long-term political and economic consequences of this agreement for Georgia?

▶ With a renewed and visible U.S. diplomatic presence in the region, do you believe the South Caucasus will ultimately benefit from this changed geopolitical situation both in the region and beyond?

Ambassador Ashot SMBATYAN: "Friendly relations between Armenia and Georgia have reached their political peak"

29.07.2025 (Caucasian Journal) The Caucasian Journal is pleased to welcome His Excellency Ashot SMBATYAN, the Ambassador of Armenia to Georgia, for our second interview.

Since the Ambassador’s previous interview in 2023, significant developments have occurred in Armenia, the South Caucasus, and globally. We hope to address all major topics in this conversation.

▶ Հայերեն. Read the Armenian version here.

▶ ქართულად: Read the Georgian version here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of CJ: Your Excellency, since we are in Tbilisi, let’s begin with Armenia–Georgia relations. Our countries now have a Strategic Partnership Agreement signed about 18 months ago. Beyond its evident symbolic weight, what tangible results have been recorded, and what future initiatives are being developed? In addition to political and economic dimensions, could you also comment on military cooperation as outlined in the agreement signed last year by the defense ministers of Armenia and Georgia?

Ashot SMBATYAN: Yes, you are absolutely right, for over 30 years now, the friendly relations between Armenia and Georgia have reached their political peak, and in January 2024, the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia signed the Joint Declaration on Establishing a Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Armenia and Georgia in Tbilisi. This elevated our relations to a qualitatively new level and laid the foundation for further deepening of bilateral ties in various fields.

Sjur BERGAN: “I don't think you can have democracy without good education” (watch video or read)

24.07.2025 (Caucasian Journal). What is the relationship between education and democracy? Why is EU membership important for education? 

The Caucasian Journal has a rare opportunity to pose these and other questions to Sjur BERGAN, one of Europe's leading education policymakers. He served as the head of the Council of Europe's Education Department for many years and played a pivotal role in shaping European higher education policy. Previously, he represented the CoE in the Bologna Follow-Up Group for over two decades, chaired the working groups on structural reforms, and was the main author of the landmark Lisbon Recognition Convention.

▶ ქართულად: The Georgian version is here.

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The full text version of the interview is below:

Sjur BERGAN: “I DON'T THINK YOU CAN HAVE DEMOCRACY WITHOUT GOOD EDUCATION”

Kai PURNHAGEN: “There is no compromise on safe food production and marketing”

16.07.2025. (Caucasian Journal) Given the current crucial period for Georgia's EU aspirations, our journal wants to help keep the public informed about what EU candidacy and integration really mean. One important topic that doesn’t get enough coverage is the EU’s food safety regulations. Today, we delve into the world of food regulation with our distinguished expert, Dr. Kai PURNHAGEN (Germany).

Professor Purnhagen holds the Chair for Food Law at the University of Bayreuth, where he also serves as Co-Director of the Research Centre for German and European Food Law. He is the co-author of the authoritative EU Food Law (Oxford University Press).

▶ ქართულად: The Georgian version is here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of Caucasian Journal:  Dear Dr. Purnhagen, thank you for joining us. Let me start with a simple question, one that many citizens in an EU candidate country might ask: Will my food quality significantly improve or be better protected once our country enters the EU?

Kai PURNHAGEN: Thank you very much for having me, it’s a great privilege for me. I do not know enough about the Georgian food system to meaningfully answer your question. But what I do know is that the EU has the most rigorous agri-food legal system when it comes to food safety. It is very likely that on these terms, Georgian food will improve. Whether this will also have an impact on food prices will largely depend on how well the Georgian competition enforcement authorities will work. We have observed that in EU countries, where enforcement of competition laws functions effectively, food prices have remained relatively low compared to food safety and quality.

Alkis DRAKINOS: “The three Caucasian countries are the perfect conduit for trade between Asia and Europe”

26.06.2025. (Caucasian Journal) The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a key driver of economic development in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean, is also an active player in the South Caucasus. The Bank's investments in private enterprise, infrastructure, and sustainable development are very significant. 

Today, we are privileged to interview Alkis Vryenios DRAKINOS, Director and Regional Head of the Caucasus for the EBRD, who began his tenure in Tbilisi in 2023.

▶ ქართულად: The Georgian version is here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of Caucasian Journal: Dear Alkis, welcome to Caucasian Journal! Thank you for your time. You’re no stranger to our region, correct? Could you begin by sharing your professional background and previous experience in the South Caucasus?

Alkis DRAKINOS: Dear Alexander, many thanks for inviting me to the Caucasian Journal. I see it as a privilege to have the opportunity to share my experience and views with your readers. Yes, you're right, I'm not a stranger to the Caucasus. I first visited the region 30 years ago when I was a young Associate Banker at the EBRD, and it all started here in Tbilisi! This was my first professional visit bearing the business card of EBRD in a country of operations of the Bank, and it marked me for life.

     

Diana PAVELESCU: “EU standards give consumers confidence that what’s on the wine label is exactly what’s inside”

06.05.2025. (Caucasian Journal)  We always seize the opportunity to discuss winemaking, since it's such a vital industry in our region. So, what’s in store for winemakers in EU candidate countries like Georgia and Moldova as they look to integrate into the EU? Can they expect changes in pricing, quality control, and subsidies as they align with European standards? 

Our guest today, Diana PAVELESCU from Romania, is here to shed some light on these questions. Diana is the Secretary-General of ADAR (the Romanian Authorized Wine Tasters' Association) and the founder of the Romanian Wine Academy. She’s also a Wine Ambassador and has served as a wine advisor to the Romanian Minister of Agriculture, as well as a juror in various international wine competitions. 

▶ ქართულად: The Georgian version is here.

Alexander KAFFKA, editor-in-chief of Caucasian Journal: Dear Diana, welcome! Romania went through a big shift when it joined the EU. What are the key takeaways about how the situation changed or how local wines stacked up against the imports? Do you think the Romanian winemaking has experienced major changes due to EU membership? 

Diana PAVELESCU: Thank you for the invitation — it’s an honor to share our experience with you and your readers. I should mention that I currently work with Romania’s National Office for Vine and Wine Products, the institution responsible for vineyard certification and trade authorization for wines with protected designations of origin (PDO) and geographical indications (PGI).