The European Council has warned the government of Georgia that its actions jeopardise Tbilisi’s path towards European Union Membership.
In the summit held on October 17, the European Council expressed the Union’s support for Georgia’s EU integration. However, the Council voiced concerns related to the course of action taken by Georgia’s government, Schengen.News reports.
The Council said such actions go against the principles and values of the European Union.
The European Council said it will continue to monitor the situation carefully.
Future of Georgia Relying on the Upcoming Elections
The upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia will be held on October 26. These elections will be observed by 60 members from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly to ensure “unbiased assessment of the electoral process.”
Recently, the EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, said Georgia’s ruling party’s actions take the country away from the EU, considering the upcoming elections a “crucial test” for the country’s democracy and its EU journey.
In yesterday’s summit, the European Council said it expects the upcoming parliamentary elections will be free and in line with international standards.
Visa-Free Travel Agreement at Risk
In September, the European Commission spokesperson told Politico that a potential temporary suspension of 2017’s visa-free travel agreement between the EU and Georgia could come if Georgia’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, continues on its authoritarian trajectory.
The suspension of this agreement does not require full consensus within the EU.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Paweł Herczyński today said the EU will wait to see how the upcoming parliamentary elections are conducted.
Herczyński expressed his hopes that the elections will be in line with the highest international standards, stressing that warnings related to the visa-free travel suspension are not a threat but a simple reality.
Georgia applied for EU membership on March 3, 2022. The European Commission issued an official recommendation to grant the candidate status to Georgia on November 8, last year. The country was granted candidate status for EU membership in December 2023.
Source: https://schengen.news/georgias-government-actions-jeopardise-eu-membership-process-council-warns/
