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In your opinion, did Georgia benefit or lose out by withdrawing from the CIS?

Monday, December 13
“I think it would be a shame for Georgia to stay in the CIS after the August war with Russia. It would be embarrassing. I don’t really know what benefits we used to get by being the member of CIS. I guess no benefits at all.”
Lado, distributor, 31

“I think by being in the CIS we would have more opportunities to export our products to the former Soviet countries, including Russia. However I am not sure that it was a guarantee that our goods would be welcome there anyway. Maybe we got damaged economically when we pulled out of the CIS, however I think politically it was a right step.”
Lali, economist, 46

“The CIS has become a fairly useless union. I don’t really know exactly how the organisation operates, however I am not sure that the member states are getting any special benefits from being part of the CIS. So, I think we lost nothing by leaving the organisation for good.”
Inga, shop assistant, 38

Well, from an economical point of view it was not profitable for the country, as after withdrawal from the organization; a lot of economic problems have surfaced in the country.
Temur, Economist, 42

I think we had no other option but to leave the organization, as the main country of CIS occupied and is occupying our regions. Herewith, I do not think we have lost much, as I don’t take this organization seriously.
Tamar, Painter, 27

We have lost nothing, as in my opinion, our membership in the organisation would not have changed Russian attitudes and plans towards us.
Giorgi, Sociologist, 32

“Georgia has lost nothing by quitting the CIS membership but the responsibility to Russia - its “elder brother”. I think we are quite successful without CIS nowadays.”
Rusudan, Teacher, 40

“On the one hand Georgia has become more promoted in the world after quitting the CIS but on the other hand this very step might have become the reason for straining relations between Georgia and Russia which resulted in a loss of Georgian territories.”
Mariam, 23, interpreter

“Georgia’s withdrawal from CIS had been one of the shrewdest steps made by the Government of Georgia in recent years. CIS had been the fake symbol of unity among its member countries which have no real eligibility to express their personal concern on the issues. Being the Russian-based symbolic organization, CIS has failed in being relevant to the events they are responsible for thus I definitely think that we have been lucky to leave this group.”
Nikoloz, Lawyer, 34