It was announced that the EU has suspended Georgia’s EU membership process for the time being. EU official Herczynski stated that this decision was taken at the EU Leaders’ Summit. It was also reported that the EU has frozen 30 million euros of financial aid to Georgia for 2024. Herczynski emphasized that additional measures could be considered if the situation worsens.
“It is a pity that EU-Georgia relations are at such a low point when they could be at an all-time high,” the ambassador said.
The Impact of the “Transparency of Foreign Influence” Law
Protests began in Georgia in April following the “Transparency of Foreign Influence” bill submitted to the parliament. The legal regulation stipulated that organizations receiving more than 20 percent of their foreign funding must register as “organizations pursuing the interests of a foreign power.” This situation has also strained EU-Georgia relations.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell warned that the Georgian government’s accession process is at risk if its policies do not comply with EU standards.
Georgia’s EU Membership Process
Georgia, which applied for EU membership in March 2022, was granted candidate country status in December 2023. However, recent developments show that the country’s progress towards EU membership has stalled.
