Guillaume Mercier: I call on the Georgian government to respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression - they must refrain from using force against peaceful protesters, politicians, or media representatives

The rushed adoption of amendments to the Code on Administrative Offences, Criminal Code and the Law on Assemblies and Manifestations will have far-reaching effects on Georgian society. The EU stands ready to take further actions to hold those responsible for the violence to account, Guillaume Mercier, the European Commission’s Spokesperson for Enlargement, International Partnerships and the Mediterranean, said in an exclusive interview with InterPressNews.

In addition, he calls on the Georgian government to respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression and states that they expect clear and significant steps from the Georgian government.

The return of Georgia to the EU accession path is firmly in the hands of the Georgian authorities. The EU remains ready to engage should Georgia reverse course and resume its European path.

“The EU’s approach towards Georgia has always been open and merit based. We have been clearly and repeatedly communicating our recommendations and concerns to the Georgian authorities.

The EU regrets Irakli Kobakhidze's statement of 28 November, regarding the Georgian Dream's decision not to pursue the opening of EU accession negotiations and to reject EU financial support until 2028.

This announcement represents a significant departure from the policies of previous Georgian governments and the European aspirations of the vast majority of the Georgian people, as reflected in Georgia's Constitution.

We remind that the course of actions taken by the Georgian authorities, coupled with democratic backsliding, led to the de facto halt of the EU accession process in June 2024. Additionally, EU financial assistance benefiting Georgian authorities is currently on hold.

The EU strongly condemns any violence against peaceful protesters who are standing up for their democratic and European future. These actions by the authorities have serious consequences for our bilateral relations.

We call on Georgian authorities to respect the right to freedom of assembly and expression. They must refrain from using force against peaceful protesters, politicians, or media representatives. All acts of violence must be fully investigated, and those responsible must be held accountable.

We expect clear and significant steps from the Georgian authorities underpinning their intentions to re-engage on the EU path.

The EU has outlined clear steps required to resume the accession process. They include the repeal of legislations running counter to EU norms and values, as well as a firm commitment to the implementation of the 9 Steps identified in the Commission’s December 2023 recommendations”, he said.