Georgia accuses EU of political pressure over staying out of Ukraine war

Georgia has accused the European Union of using “blackmail” against the country after it refused to join the war in Ukraine in 2022. 

Despite being "widely recognized as the most advanced among candidate countries," Georgia has repeatedly been denied EU candidate status, while Moldova, Bosnia, and other nations have been granted it, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media. 

“In 2022, we refused to join the war, and unprecedented blackmail began thereafter. First, they didn’t grant us EU candidate status without any justification, then they repeatedly acknowledged that Georgia is the most advanced among all candidate countries,” Kobakhidze noted.

According to him, the “EU’s actions appear linked to Georgia’s refusal to meet certain demands,” suggesting that European bureaucracy has been used to exert political pressure on the government and the Georgian people.

Kobakhidze also criticised the EU for allegedly encouraging domestic political outcomes, claiming that European institutions openly called on citizens to vote for the return of the opposition United National Movement. He said such actions risk associating the EU with political interference and undermine its perception among Georgians.

Georgia gained EU candidate status in December 2023 but the EU has said that a series of laws passed by the governing Georgian Dream party since, including curbs on “foreign agents” are obstacles to EU membership. 

Later, on October 30, 2024, the European Comission has adopted its annual Enlargement Package, stating that Georgia’s EU accession process has been de facto halted "due to the course of action taken by the Georgian government since Spring 2024."

By Sabina Mammadli