On 1-2 February, the “Institute for Development of Freedom of Information” (IDFI), in partnership with the University of Bremen and with the financial support of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, organizes an international Forum – “The Prospects of Georgia’s Democratic and Economic Development”, taking place at Tbilisi Courtyard Marriott Hotel. The Forum is the concluding event of the project – “Strategic Plan Georgia 2020 – Strengthening Public Involvement (ZigB)”.

Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili will open the Forum. The Ambassador of the European Union to Georgia – Janos Herman, German Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia – Bettina Cadenbach and Director of IDFI – Giorgi Kldiashvili, will also deliver a speech during the opening ceremony of the forum. Each day of the forum is divided into two panels that include the following topics:

• Georgia’s European and Euro-Atlantic Aspirations
•  Main areas of EU-Georgia Partnership
• Georgia’s Economic Development
• Georgia’s Democratic Development

The speakers will discuss matters such as - the process of Georgia's integration in the European Union and NATO, the existing challenges in this regard; the Deep and comprehensive Free Trade Area; perspectives of Georgia's accession to the Energy Community; Visa Liberalization; Georgia's economic and democratic development.

Among the invited speakers, there will be:

• Michael Emerson - Senior Research Fellow at the Center for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
• Federico Tarantini - External Energy Policy Officer, European Commission, DG Energy
• Jochen Zimmermann - Dean at the University of Bremen, Germany
• Andrei Illarionov - Senior Fellow in the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity at Cato Institute
• Lincoln Mitchell - Specialist in Political Development, Expert on Georgia
• Michael Hikari Cecire - Associate Scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute