Estonian experience in Euro-integration process

27 Jan, 2010

Open Society Georgia Foundation in co-operated with Open Estonia organized an educational program for around ten Georgian non governmental organizations in Tallinn (Estonia) from 10th till 17th of June. During the program the participants had an opportunity to look through the Estonian experience with the European Union and established diplomatic relations with local NGOs. The part of the program was held on the base of diplomatic school of Estonia. The seminars were directed by the diplomatic school employees as well as invited experts from governmental and non-governmental sector. The topics of the seminar were touching the Estonian experience in following issues: – The preparation of the country for the membership of the EU; – The financial aid of the EU and non-governmental organizations; – relations of government and NGOs; – the public opinion about the membership of the European Union; – The first year in EU. The interest was high in participants because most of them are working on the part of the European Neighborhood Program (AP) on the whole the interest was high in the work groups that are working on civic society proposals for (AP). The hosts’ foreside the interests of the guests and dedicated several sessions to the Georgia’s perspective in European Union. The Estonian experts gave a lot of advices on the Georgian NGOs and European institution co-operation issue. The important part of the educational program was the meeting of Georgian NGOs with the colleagues from Estonian non-governmental sector. The interesting coincident was that the Georgian NGO meeting in the non-Estonian integration foundation was at the same time with the visit of Georgian Civic integration state minister. The desire of the Estonians to help Georgian NGOs was so great that the productive work of the Georgian NGOs had began in Tallinn, after arranged meetings Georgian delegates were working on new proposals for ENP and AP for several evenings. Source: Open Society Georgia Foundation Georgia Integration Program.