For me as an EU Ambassador to Georgia to present this year’s report is not easy. The findings of the report are unfortunately devastating for Georgia’s European aspirations, - EU Ambassador to Georgia Pawel Herczynski said at the press conference in Tbilisi.“The truth is that Georgia is further away from EU membership today than it was in 2023, when it was granted candidate status.

The overall level of backsliding observed over the last year in Georgia is unprecedented - and here I quote HRVP Kallas and Commissioner Kos.

In the last 12 months, there was serious backsliding on the fundamentals of enlargement, as well as on the 9 steps set out in the Commission’s recommendation once Georgia was granted candidate status.

We have witnessed rapid erosion of the rule of law and severe restriction of fundamental rights.

Institutions have been instrumentalised for partisan objectives”, he said.

According to him, the independence and integrity of the judiciary system has been undermined by legal changes, creating risks of judicial capture.

Systematic repressive actions have damaged civic space and independence of media.

“Excessive use of force has taken place in full impunity by the law enforcement authorities.

Hostile anti-EU rhetoric, disinformation and conspiracies, spread by Georgian authorities have been recurrent and designed to undermine EU-Georgia relations. The imprisonment of leading opposition figures, coupled with the ruling party’s announcement to ban certain opposition parties, constitute a direct attack on one of the basic EU principles – democratic pluralism.

Today’s report also details that, since last year, Georgia’s progress on the technical parts of EU standards has slowed down significantly.

Georgia used to be proud of being a front runner in the implementation of the Association Agreement. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.

EU accession is and will remain to be a transformative process, dependent on the political will of each country’s leadership.

I invite everyone, to read this report - over 80 pages - carefully: you will find the true assessment of Georgia’s progress against the EU membership requirements.

While Georgian authorities have chosen to walk away from the EU, other candidate countries have advanced in their reforms and accession processes.

Unlike Georgia, they are now benefiting from gradual integration with the EU. Unfortunately, due to the trajectory chosen by the authorities, the Georgian people and businesses are missing out on funds for country’s modernization, zero roaming charges, lower banking costs and reduced customs checks among many many other benefits.

As you have just heard during the Press conference of HRVP Kaja Kallas and the Commissioner responsible for enlargement, Marta Kos, the Commission today considers Georgia not viable, candidate country on paper, candidate country in name only. It’s truly heartbreaking”, said the Ambassador.