EU Council issues its enlargement report, saying Georgian Dream’s actions ‘jeopardise’ country’s European path

The EU Council published its conclusions on EU enlargement, following the EU Commission’s own report issued at the end of October.

According to the conclusion, the Council recalled that the course of action taken by the Georgian government ‘jeopardises Georgia’s European path, de facto leading to a halt of the accession process’. The Council also ‘reiterates the EU’s steadfast solidarity with the Georgian people and its readiness to continue supporting Georgians on their European path, and regrets the Georgian government’s recent statement on suspending the EU accession process until 2028’.

The Council reaffirmed the EU’s readiness to support the Georgian people on their European path but noted that it reiterates the EU’s serious concern regarding the course of action taken by the Georgian government, including the adoption of the foreign agent law, ‘as well as other legislation which runs counter to the values and principles upon which the EU is founded and which represent backsliding on the steps set out in the Commission’s recommendation for candidate status’.

The Council strongly condemned the violence against peaceful protesters, media representatives and politicians, and called on Georgian authorities to urgently revert to the EU path and adopt democratic, comprehensive and sustainable reforms.

‘The Council is deeply concerned about the backsliding in the areas of democracy, rule of law and fundamental rights’, the conclusion read.

The Council called on the Georgian authorities to take concrete actions to overcome the ‘increasing polarisation and refrain from actions that could further deepen the political tensions, such as anti-EU rhetoric and disinformation’.