Due to the actions of the Georgian authorities, particularly the adoption of the bill on "foreign agents", Georgia's accession to the EU has been de facto stopped.
Points of attention
- The European Council has expressed concern about the situation in Georgia and calls on the country's authorities to change the current course of action.
- The law on the transparency of foreign influence in the Georgian parliament has increased attacks on members of the public, politicians, and journalists.
- EU countries' reactions to the Georgian authorities' actions may include terminating funding for the security forces and reducing state funding.
The process of Georgia's accession to the EU has been de facto stopped
The Eurocouncil expressed "serious concern" over the recent events in Georgia and called the adopted law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence" a departure from the steps outlined in the European Commission's recommendations for obtaining the status of a candidate for EU membership.
The European Council calls on the Georgian authorities to clarify their intentions by changing the current course of action, which endangers Georgia's path to the EU and de facto leads to a halt in the accession process, the agency emphasised.
Brussels also notes that the number of cases of intimidation, threats and physical attacks against representatives of civil society, political leaders, public activists and journalists is increasing in Georgia.
EU countries are now considering their response to the moves of the ruling Georgian Dream party, notes AFP.
Initial steps being discussed by ministers could include ending funding to Georgia's security forces, cutting state funding or cutting high-level contacts.
What preceded it
Georgia applied to join the EU in March 2022, weeks after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and gained candidate status in December 2023. The next step should be the European Commission's recommendation to the governments of the EU countries to start negotiations on Georgia's accession to the EU, but this depends on the implementation of a number of reforms.
Brussels made it clear: if the bill on "foreign agents" is passed, there will be no recommendations. And it was passed — on June 3, the speaker of the Georgian parliament signed the bill, despite the veto of the country's president, Salome Zurabishvili.
This bill is an analogue of the Russian law on "foreign agents".
