Day: June 19, 2026

Following its independence, Azerbaijan placed significant emphasis on establishing strong ties with the European Union.

Armenia’s opposition faces arrests as it contests the ruling party’s election win  The Washington Post

Armenia’s opposition faces arrests as it contests the ruling party’s election win  Newsday

Armenia’s opposition faces arrests as it contests the ruling party’s election win  Temple Daily Telegram

Armenia’s opposition faces arrests as it contests the ruling party’s election win  Oskaloosa Herald

Armenia’s opposition faces arrests as it contests the ruling party’s election win  Ottumwa Courier

Armenia’s opposition faces arrests as it contests the ruling party’s election win  AP News

Support for the European Union remains strong in Georgia, but a significant number of citizens are dissatisfied with the pace of the country’s integration with the bloc, according to the EU Delegation’s annual public opinion survey for 2026.

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According to the survey, 71% of Georgians support the country’s accession to the European Union, while 79% believe membership would bring more benefits than drawbacks.

The survey was conducted nationwide between January and February 2026 through face-to-face interviews with more than 1,000 respondents. The public opinion research has been carried out since 2016 by the EU NEIGHBOURS EAST programme across the six countries of the Eastern Partnership.

The findings suggest that the European Union remains the most trusted international actor among Georgian citizens. Some 67% of respondents said they trust the EU. However, the share of people who believe relations between Georgia and the EU are in good shape has declined, falling from 63% in 2025 to 60% this year.

Despite broad support for EU membership, nearly half of respondents (49%) believe Georgia is not moving in the right direction towards joining the bloc. Meanwhile, 56% say recently adopted laws affecting civil society organisations and the media have had a negative impact on the country’s EU integration process.

A large majority (87%) agree that Georgia should do more to strengthen ties with the European Union and advance its membership bid.

Awareness of EU financial assistance remains high. Seven in ten Georgians say they are aware of EU support for the country, while 48% consider that assistance effective.

Respondents said the European Union should play a more active role in education and lifelong learning (38%), economic development and trade (34%), and healthcare (33%).

Positive attitudes towards closer ties with the EU remain strong. Some 76% of respondents associate closer integration with new opportunities, while 75% believe EU membership would strengthen Georgia’s security.

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Repressive laws, arrests of protesters and opposition, pressure on media

However, the survey also revealed the presence of sceptical attitudes towards the European Union.

Some 43% of respondents said they believe the EU imposes its values on other countries, while 51% think Brussels has hidden interests in the region.

The level of public awareness about the European Union has also declined. Only 40% of respondents said they had recently come across information related to the EU, down 14 percentage points compared with 2025.

The survey further found that disinformation remains a major concern for society, with 86% of respondents describing it as a threat to national security.

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EU Opinion Poll in Georgia

Cargo traffic across the Russia-Azerbaijan border has increased significantly amid seasonal growth in the transportation of agricultural products, AzerNEWS reports.