EU halts Georgia's accession process
With a law for stronger control of civil society, the ruling party in Georgia is causing concern among part of the population. The European Union is taking action: The membership process of the country has been suspended.
The European Council expresses its serious concern over the latest developments in Georgia, as stated in a declaration from the heads of state and government at the Brussels summit.
In the text, it is stated that the European Council expresses its concern over the current course of political leadership in Tbilisi. This course endangers Georgia's way into the EU and effectively leads "de facto to a halt in the membership process".
The EU candidate status was granted to the country with a population of around 3.7 million at the end of last year, shortly after it applied for EU membership following the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Law leads to mass protests
Concretely, the heads of state and government name a new law for stricter control of civil society as an example of the negative developments in the former Soviet republic on the border of Russia. This law was passed by parliament in May despite weeks of mass protests against the "Russian law". It overruled a veto from the pro-European president Salome Zurabishvili.
The Georgian Dream party, which holds the majority in parliament, strengthens the accountability of non-governmental organizations that receive more than 20% of their money from abroad with the law. They justify this with greater transparency. A similar law in Russia labels these organizations receiving foreign funding as "foreign agents".
The heads of state and government of the EU see in the Georgian law "a step back in relation to recommendations from the EU Commission for the EU membership candidate status". They demand an end to the increasing intimidation, threats, and physical attacks against representatives of civil society, political leadership figures, civil activists, and journalists.
Government proceeds in two ways
Furthermore, it is reminded in the declaration that respect for the values and principles on which the European Union was founded is essential for every country seeking membership. It must also be ensured that the parliamentary elections this autumn are free and fair.
Exactly what lies behind the course of the government in Tbilisi is still unclear. It is paradoxical that the Georgian Dream party, which has led successful negotiations on the EU candidate status, holds firmly to the EU course - while at the same time maintaining good contacts with Moscow.
Bidsina Ivanishvili, the founder of the party, is considered a driver of the law. He became a billionaire with businesses in Russia and was also Minister-President at one time. He held the view in the past that Georgia should protect itself from harmful Western influence.
- At the EU summit, the heads of state and government strongly condemned the implementation of the stricter control law in Georgia, viewing it as a deviation from the EU Commission's recommendations for the country's EU membership candidate status.
- Amidst these controversies, Russia continues to maintain its influence over Georgia, a concern raised during the EU summit, as the country's political leadership navigates between EU aspirations and strategic ties with its northern neighbor.
