Georgia’s European Way TAMAR KHIDASHELI Introduction The five-day war of August 2008 altered Georgian reality. This tragedy changed not only the thrust of Georgia’s official foreign policy and the lives of tens of thousands of internally displaced persons who lost their homes, livelihoods, and sense of security: it also changed Georgian society’s perception of the outside world. »In light of the Russian aggression in August 2008 and the sub­sequent occupation of significant parts of Georgian territory, European integration has acquired particular importance for our country,« reads the paper distributed at the Sixth International Conference»Georgia’s European Way,« held in Tbilisi on February 11–13, 2010. A summary of the official expectations of the Georgian government towards the European Union can be found in the same paper:»Georgia’s foreign policy is directed more than ever towards the eu , which is associated with progress, democracy, human rights protection, economic development, welfare and prospects for Georgia’s unification.« To what extent are these expectations realistic? How do they relate to the new initiative of Eastern Partnership(EaP)? Are the actions of the Georgian government consistent with its declared goal of achieving greater integration with the eu ? Is the foreign policy of the Georgian government towards the eu shared by domestic political actors and the general public? Is the eu ready to provide an adequate response to these expectations through the EaP? The Georgia–EU Relationship The formalization of relations between the eu and Georgia dates back to 1992, right after Georgia regained its independence in the wake of the break-up of the Soviet Union. Bilateral relations intensified significantly ipg 3/2011 Khidasheli, Georgia 95