Karol Karski, a Polish member of the European Parliament has written an article for the British publication Reaction.life, in which he writes that in the European neighborhood, democracy and freedom remain a shining city on the hill", for Georgians and that the country is determined to pursue a pro-Western, pro-NATO path.

Sandwiched between Russia and Iran, its current government is nevertheless determined to pursue a pro-western, pro-NATO path. Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, from the ruling Georgian Dream party, has made clear public statements that the government desires to join both NATO and the EU. Over 80 per cent of the Georgian public supports this goal according to the latest polling, writes Karski.

Karski mentions that Georgia is already the largest per capita contributor to NATO missions in Afghanistan, and it has recently become only the second non-NATO country (after Finland) to join the NATO cybersecurity platform, known as MISP.

The Georgian Dream government has also implemented a pro-market economic revolution: taxes and regulations have been cut, corruption has been ruthlessly targeted, and investment has been unleashed. As a result, poverty rate has been cut in half in just over a decade; the World Bank now ranks Georgia the second-best country in the world to start a business; and the country lies in the 12th position in the Heritage Economic Freedom Index, above the USA and most of the EU member states, reads the article.

The member of European Parliament also mentions the global crisis caused by COVID-19, after which the world will be different. Most jarringly, we will all be poorer, he says.

The world will not magically become safer and happier when COVID-19 recedes. It is for the Western powers to make it so, and the newly-independent UK must commit to a central role in that effort.

Karski believes that the European Parliament should support Georgia, especially now, when economic challenges exist as a result of COVID-19 crisis.

Read the full article here.

Originally posted here:

Reaction.life: strengthen NATO, help Georgia, defend the West - Agenda.ge