TBILISI (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, State Minister of Georgia on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration David Bakradze and the head of the EU Delegation to Georgia Janos Herman signed a financial agreement in Georgia's capital Tbilisi. According to the deal, the EU will allocate Georgia 50 million euros for the reform of the justice system. The bloc will also allocate ten million euros to support protection of human rights in Georgia.
The new agreement is aimed at ensuring "an effective and impartial justice system, strengthening the rights of a fair trial, the effectiveness of the criminal justice and fairness, improving the private and administrative law, the protection of the rule of law and human rights in line with common European practice and international standards," the Ministry of Justice said in a statement.
Since 1990s, Georgia has been trying to build up firm relations with Europe, as well as expressing much enthusiasm for joining NATO.
A number of Western countries recognized and supported Georgian efforts in improving the state's social, economic and political skills.
On May 21-22, the Eastern Partnership summit of EU and ex-Soviet countries will take place in Riga, Latvia. The partnership is an EU initiative aimed at of strengthening relations with its neighbors in Eastern Europe and Southern Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine — by providing a venue for discussions on economic, social and political issues.
