According to Zaza Shengelia, a researcher at the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC), Georgia’s fastest route to sustainable economic growth and successful large-scale infrastructure development is EU integration and a clear Euro-Atlantic orientation. Speaking on BMGTV , he argued that political direction directly determines the country’s economic trajectory and investment attractiveness.
Shengelia emphasized that economies do not develop in isolation, noting that both domestic and regional political environments significantly shape outcomes. He also pointed to Eastern European countries such as Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria, arguing that EU membership has been a key driver of their rapid industrialization and long-term economic expansion.
He further said that Georgia’s major infrastructure projects require multi-billion-dollar, long-term investments, which are only possible in a stable and predictable political environment. According to him, ongoing regional geopolitical shifts—particularly developments involving Armenia and Azerbaijan—have shown how fragile assumed strategic advantages can be.
Shengelia concluded that without deeper Euro-Atlantic integration, Georgia risks limiting its economic potential, despite its strategic location and energy resources. He added that closer alignment with the EU could unlock significant opportunities, including access to European energy markets and better utilization of Georgia’s hydro resources.
