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According to liga.net, the European Council has officially announced the de facto suspension of Georgia’s accession to the European Union. This decision was the result of concerns expressed about the actions of the Georgian government, which contradict the basic values and principles on which the EU is based.
A threat to Georgia’s European course
The official document published on the European Council’s website emphasises that this course of action jeopardises Georgia’s European perspective and effectively halts the accession process. “The European Council recalls that in order to achieve its European goals, Georgia needs to implement democratic, comprehensive and sustainable reforms,” the statement reads.
Call for free and fair elections
The document also expresses the hope that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia will be held in accordance with international standards and with unimpeded access for international observers. This is an important step to restore confidence in the country’s democratic processes.
Impact of new legislative initiatives
The recently adopted law on “foreign agents”, which came into force on 3 June, has drawn considerable criticism both domestically and internationally. The speaker of the Georgian parliament signed the law, ignoring the president’s veto, raising fears of increased authoritarianism in the country.
The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Gerczynski, has expressed fears that this controversial law could lead to a revision of the visa-free regime with the EU. This underscores how important changes in legislation are for relations between Georgia and the European Union.
Assessment of relations with the EU
On 19 July, Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the ruling party, said that relations between Tbilisi and Brussels could improve after the war in Ukraine ends. However, on 4 October, it was reported that the European Union had suspended high-level meetings with Georgian government officials, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
The suspension of Georgia’s EU accession process is a serious signal that urgent measures are needed to restore confidence in the country’s democratic institutions. Georgia should focus on implementing the necessary reforms and ensuring the transparency of electoral processes in order to resume a positive dialogue with the European Union and implement its European course.
