EU warns Georgia of halting accession over foreign agents law
- The European Council has warned Georgia about halting its accession process into the EU.
- This decision was made following the passage of a controversial foreign agents law in Georgia.
- Critics fear the new law could curb democratic freedoms in the country.
In a recent development, the European Council has officially put Georgia's accession into the European Union on hold following the passing of a controversial bill by the country's Parliament. The bill requires many nonprofits and news media organizations to register as foreign agents, sparking concerns about democratic freedoms. The European Council urged Georgia to reverse this course of action to avoid jeopardizing its EU path, emphasizing the importance of free and fair elections and adherence to alliance principles for EU membership. The European Council expressed support for Georgia's EU aspirations but emphasized the need to address the issues raised by the new law. Georgia's EU envoy, Pawel Herczynski, expressed disappointment over the freezing of $32 million in support for Georgia and hinted at potential further measures if the situation worsens. The law, dubbed the "Russian law" due to its resemblance to legislation used by Putin to suppress NGOs and media, triggered protests and opposition, yet was passed by the ruling Georgia Dream Party despite warnings from the EU. The EU's decision to halt Georgia's accession process and freeze financial support stems from concerns about the law's impact on democratic values and EU membership criteria. EU leaders have criticized the law as undemocratic and warned Georgia that its path to EU membership would be blocked unless the law is repealed. The EU is considering limiting direct support to the Georgian government and redirecting aid to civil society and media, signaling a shift in relations between the EU and Georgia. Georgia's President Salome Zourabichvili acknowledged the EU and U.S.'s actions as challenging messages, highlighting the choice between a secure European future or aligning with Russia. The situation underscores the delicate balance between Georgia's democratic aspirations and geopolitical influences, with implications for the country's EU membership prospects. The EU's stance reflects a commitment to upholding democratic values and principles in its engagement with aspiring member states like Georgia.