{"id":374391,"date":"2024-06-28T17:33:20","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T15:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eunews.it\/2024\/06\/28\/georgia-adesione-ue-consiglio-europeo\/"},"modified":"2024-07-04T12:35:04","modified_gmt":"2024-07-04T10:35:04","slug":"georgia-eu-accession-european-council","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eunews.it\/en\/2024\/06\/28\/georgia-eu-accession-european-council\/","title":{"rendered":"Georgia’s EU accession process “de facto” at a standstill. European Council confirms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brussels – It had been in the air for weeks, but the collective body that sets priorities and policy directions for the European Union is now putting a full stop\u00a0to Georgia’s ambitions to be “prepared more than any other candidate country for membership by 2030<\/a>” (as claimed in February by the premier, Irakli Kobakhidze<\/strong>). “The European Council calls on the Georgian authorities to clarify their intentions by reversing the current course that jeopardizes Georgia’s path to the EU,\u00a0de facto bringing the accession process<\/strong> to a halt,” read the conclusion<\/a>s<\/a> of the summit of heads of state and government of the 27 EU member states, which reserve four points to\u00a0the “serious concern about recent political developments<\/strong>” in the EU candidate country.<\/p>\n

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\"Georgia<\/a>
Georgian demonstrators in Tbilisi against the “foreign influence transparency” law, April 17, 2024 (credits: Giorgi Arjevanidze \/ Afp)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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It is, specifically, the mid-May adoption of the law on “transparency of foreign influence”<\/a> of pro-Russian memory that represents “a step backwards from what was set out in the commission’s recommendation for candidate status,” which at this point severely slows down on the road to moving closer to joining the Union<\/strong>, despite the candidate country status<\/a> received on December 14, 2023, from the European Council itself. Not least because there is also\u00a0to consider the “increasing acts of intimidation, threats and physical assaults<\/strong> against civil society representatives, political leaders, civil activists, and journalists in Georgia,” warn the Twenty-Seven, who on this point did not encounter the same difficulties in establishing a common position<\/strong> as were seen at the condemnation response<\/a> to the adoption of the law last May 14. For the Union, there is a clear difference between the government and the overwhelming majority of pro-EU citizens, which is why the 27 leaders reiterated their “willingness to continue to support Georgians<\/strong> on their path to a European future.”<\/p>\n

This is where the new chapter opens in the political challenge in Tbilisi between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the citizens who have taken to the streets nonstop for weeks in opposition to the law considered a direct emanation of the Kremlin. “The European Council calls on the Georgian authorities to ensure that next fall’s parliamentary elections are free and fair<\/strong>,” encouraging “substantial long-term and short-term election observation by partners.” The reference is to the upcoming legislative elections on October 26<\/strong>, on which a common platform of parties<\/a>\u00a0opposed to Georgian Dreams is being organized around the “Georgian charter” presented in late May<\/a>\u00a0by the president, Salom\u00e9 Zourabichvili<\/strong>. Several political formations have already confirmed that they are running under the same political umbrella (with common or different, but still allied candidates) with the stated goal of “restoring the EU accession process and opening accession negotiations as soon as possible<\/strong>.” Since they are now\u2014as defined by the European Council\u2014”de facto” frozen.<\/p>\n