EU halts Georgia's accession process amid political concerns

EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski has announced that the EU leadership agreed to halt Georgia's accession process, as outlined in the European Council reports.

Herczynski made these remarks at an international conference in Tbilisi, Caliber.Az reports citing the Russian media.

The EU has halted the disbursement of 30 million euros ($32 million) earmarked for the Georgian Defence Ministry due to concerns over the country's foreign agent legislation.

Ahead of Georgia's parliamentary elections scheduled for October 26, 2024, Washington is reportedly aiming to influence a change in government. According to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, the US administration, under President Joe Biden, has devised a significant information campaign to undermine the credibility of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party.

The foreign agent law in Georgia, similar to laws in other countries, requires organisations that receive funding from foreign sources and engage in political activities to register as foreign agents.

The European Union and other international bodies have expressed concerns about the implications of Georgia's foreign agent law on civil society and democratic governance.

The foreign agent law in Georgia remains a topic of significant debate, reflecting broader tensions between transparency in non-governmental organisations’ funding and concerns over democratic freedoms and civil society autonomy.