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Showing posts from March, 2019

Georgia - NATO Relations

By: Nika Chitadze  Materials of the International Conference – Perspectives of the NATO Enlargement. Center of Strategic Studies, Krakow, Poland, 13-14 May, 2005. Georgia regained its independence in 1991 when an overwhelming majority of Georgians voted to secede from the Soviet Union . The country's first elected leader, Zviad Gamsakhudia was removed in a 1992 coup that brought Eduard Shevardnadze to power. He remained as president of the country until 2003.  The "Rose Revolution" of late 2003 ushered in a new era in Georgian political development.  Public dissatisfaction with the corrupt governance and deeply flawed elections of the post-Soviet period finally culminated in several weeks of intense popular protest that led to the collapse of the Shevardnadze administration.  Mikhail Saakashvili won the election held in January 2004 with an overwhelming majority and he continues as president today.  He has pushed for economic reforms and a crackdown