EU Council slams Georgia for democratic backsliding, threatens visa-free privileges

The European Union Council has sharply criticized the Georgian authorities for failing to implement the recommendations necessary to maintain the country’s visa-free regime with the EU.

The Council reaffirmed the EU’s support for the aspirations of the majority of Georgians for a European future but stressed that the actions of the Georgian authorities fall short of expectations for a candidate country, Caliber.Az reports.

“The Council notes the serious general backsliding in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, including the adoption of repressive legislation undermining fundamental rights and freedoms, the political instrumentalization of the judiciary, the persecution of opposition leaders, arbitrary arrests of protesters and journalists, and a shrinking civic space,” the statement reads.

The Council also condemned disinformation and anti-EU narratives propagated by Georgian authorities. It noted with regret that Georgia has backtracked across the nine steps on which its candidate status was granted, effectively bringing its EU accession process to a standstill.

“Georgia’s EU accession process has effectively come to a standstill until the authorities demonstrate resolute commitment to reverse course and return to the EU accession path,” the Council stated.

The EU called on the Georgian authorities to release all arbitrarily detained politicians, journalists, and activists, repeal repressive legislation, adopt democratic and sustainable reforms aligned with European integration principles, and end aggressive rhetoric against the EU and its representatives.

The Council reaffirmed support for Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders and emphasized the EU’s commitment to peaceful conflict resolution, including through the presence of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.

“The Council regrets Georgia’s continued non-compliance with the seventh visa suspension mechanism report recommendations and calls on the Georgian authorities to fulfil them and meet the visa liberalisation benchmarks without delay,” the statement said.

Additionally, the Council stressed that Georgia must intensify efforts toward full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), particularly by enforcing EU restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. It also urged the Georgian authorities to refrain from actions and statements that contradict EU foreign policy positions and to cooperate in preventing circumvention of EU sanctions.

By Vafa Guliyeva