Policy Profile Georgia
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Policy Profile Georgia
Georgia does not yet hold candidate status in the European Union (EU), however, the EU has recognised Georgia’s potential as a candidate country. To progress on the admission process, it needs to harmonise its legislation and policies with EU regulations, including those related to heritage and culture.
The European Union maintains a Delegation to Georgia in Tbilisi, and the Democratic Republic of Georgia maintains a Mission to the EU in Brussels, embedded within the Embassy of Georgia in Belgium.
The national system of cultural policy in Georgia includes the following branches of authority: Parliament – the legislative power; the parliamentary committee for Culture (established in 2020 after the Parliamentary Elections) is responsible for legislation and supervision of the executive power; The executive power is held by the sakartvelos kulturisa da sportis saministro (Ministry of Culture and Sport of Georgia). The Ministry is responsible for the development of cultural policy. The Ministry includes several agencies responsible for various areas of cultural policy. The sak’art’velos kulturuli memkvidreobis datsvis saagento (National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia) governs the issues related to tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Two Creative Europe desks – culture and media – were established at the Ministry in 2016. LEPL Creative Georgia, focuses on the commercialisation of the creative industries’ sector and supporting its sustainable development.
LEPL Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation was established in 2010 at the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia to develop the science, technology and innovation system. A small part of the fund is used for the implementation of scientific projects in the field of cultur
In line with Georgian legislation, The Ministry of Education and Culture of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and the Ministry of Education Culture and Sport of Ajaria Autonomous Republic are responsible for programmes within their respective administrative borders.
The local authorities of administration (municipalities) and self-government (sakrebulo – city or village councils) bear responsibility for cultural activity in the regions. The structural units of local authorities are the departments of culture, cultural heritage and protection of monuments at the local governmental level. As of 2020, there are 69 municipalities in Georgia, which are united in 9 provinces, which in turn are de facto units.
View all Georgia policies gathered so far
* = This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence
