European Council warns Georgia’s EU accession in jeopardy

The European Council has issued a stark warning to Georgia, stating that its current trajectory poses a risk to the country’s European path, effectively halting its EU accession process, Azernews reports.

The Council urged Georgia to implement democratic, comprehensive, and sustainable reforms in line with the fundamental principles of European integration, as highlighted in an official document.

“The European Council recalls that such a course of action jeopardises Georgia’s European path, and de facto halts the accession process. It calls on Georgia to adopt democratic, comprehensive and sustainable reforms, in line with the core principles of European integration,” the document reads. The Council also stressed its commitment to closely monitoring the situation.

The Council emphasized the importance of upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia, calling for the elections to be free and fair, held under international standards, and ensuring access for both international and national observers.

The document also highlighted the need to protect free and independent media, reiterating the EU's firm support for Georgia's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. “It underlines the European Union’s continued commitment to peaceful conflict resolution and its policy of non-recognition and engagement,” the Council concluded.

Earlier this year, in July, EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, announced that the EU had suspended Georgia’s accession process, largely due to the controversial foreign influence law, often compared to Russia’s foreign agents law. This legislation raised concerns about potential government overreach and curtailment of civil liberties.

Additionally, reports surfaced that the European Union may consider suspending Georgia's visa-free regime as a consequence of the government's perceived anti-democratic actions and growing anti-Western rhetoric.