Last week, the European Parliament expressed concern in a non-binding resolution about what it sees as a serious deterioration of the democratic situation in Georgia. Mentioned were the recent law on ‘foreign influences,’ repression against demonstrators, and the intimidation of opposition members. These developments are said to contradict European values and norms.
The Georgian Prime Minister, who had previously described European criticism as biased, calls the resolution ‘shameful’ and ‘unacceptable.’ According to Kobakhidze, there is no suppression or deviation from democratic rules. He claims that European institutions are interfering in domestic affairs.
Meanwhile, the divide within Georgia is growing between pro-European President Salome Zourabichvili and the current rulers of the Georgian Dream party, who recently adopted a course seemingly more oriented toward Russia. This pro-Moscow stance is causing increasing tensions while large parts of the population continue to pursue a pro-European orientation.
Georgia has officially applied for EU membership, but the accession process is proceeding slowly. Although the country was granted candidate status last year, actual accession remains a distant prospect. The application has also been separated from those of three Western Balkan countries that submitted membership requests around the same time.
The European Union, on the other hand, wants to expedite the accession of Ukraine and Moldova. Given the increasing threat from Russia, Brussels regards the rapid integration of these two countries as a strategic priority. Georgia is, for now, being kept at a greater distance, partly due to the recent decline in trust towards the current rulers.
Therefore, the European Parliament’s resolution not only condemns the situation in Georgia but also proposes concrete measures. It calls for personal sanctions against individuals including Bidzina Ivanishvili, the wealthy businessman seen as an influential figure behind the ruling party. Other politicians and businessmen supporting a pro-Russian course are also named as potential targets for EU sanctions.
The tensions between Georgia and the EU are thus escalating. While Brussels worries about the country sliding into authoritarian practices, the Georgian government persists in its own course. This stance threatens not only to delay prompt EU accession but also to undermine international partners’ confidence in the country’s stability.