The majority of the population in Georgia wants their country to continue on its European path, they carry Europe in their hearts and pro-European protests are their voice, but those responsible for the ruling Georgian Dream party are responding with intimidation, violence and water cannons, - reads a statement by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

The head of the German Foreign Ministry notes that for weeks, tens of thousands of Georgians have been courageously organizing demonstrations for their country’s European future.

“The majority of the population in Georgia wants their country to continue on its European path, they carry Europe in their hearts and pro-European protests are their voice, but those responsible for the ruling Georgian Dream party are responding with intimidation, violence and water cannons. By turning its back to the anti-European path, Georgian Dream has deliberately frozen Georgia’s EU accession process and effectively stopped it. Due to the increasingly authoritarian policies of the Georgian Dream, we must now also consider formally suspending Georgia’s accession process in the EU,” reads the statement.

Annalena Baerbock recalls that the granting of EU candidate status to Georgia in December 2023 was accompanied by clear promises of reforms.

“But instead of progress, we see alarming setbacks: elections that were sharply criticized by international observers, violence against demonstrators, the so-called “transparency law” and restrictions on LGBTQ rights. The Georgian Dream is thus missing the historic opportunity that the EU is offering the country,” reads the statement.

Baerbock emphasizes that the Georgian Dream has increasingly distanced the country from the EU in recent weeks and months, thereby jeopardizing Georgia’s long-standing partnership with Germany.

"As a result, we have reduced cooperation with the country's authorities and suspended support projects worth over €200 million. At the same time, we are considering further measures with our EU partners, ranging from the abolition of the visa-free regime for Georgian officials to targeted sanctions. The ball is in the court of those responsible in the Georgian Dream. It is now up to them to do everything they can to end the deep political crisis, restore trust and offer the Georgian people real prospects - for a return to the path of EU membership, but above all, for a good future for all Georgians and for Georgians," reads the statement.