Georgia’s EU accession process has effectively reached a deadlock until the authorities demonstrate a firm commitment to changing course and returning to the path toward EU membership. The actions taken by the Georgian authorities do not meet the European Union’s expectations of an EU candidate country, according to the conclusions on enlargement adopted by the EU Council Presidency, the translation of which has been released by the EU Delegation to Georgia.

According to the document, the Council notes a serious overall regression in the areas of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

“The Council reiterates the EU’s support for the European aspirations of the overwhelming majority of the Georgian population. The actions taken by the Georgian authorities do not meet the EU’s expectations of an EU candidate country. The Council notes a serious overall regression in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, including the adoption of repressive legislation undermining fundamental rights and freedoms, the use of the judiciary as a political tool, the persecution of opposition leaders, the unjustified detention of protesters and journalists, and the shrinking of civic space.

The Council condemns the dissemination of disinformation and narratives directed against the EU by the Georgian authorities and calls for an end to these practices. The Council regrets Georgia’s backsliding in the implementation of the nine steps, the fulfillment of which led to the granting of candidate status. Accordingly, Georgia’s EU accession process has effectively reached a deadlock until the authorities demonstrate a firm commitment to changing course and returning to the EU integration path.

The Council calls on the Georgian authorities to release all unjustly detained politicians, journalists, and activists; repeal repressive legislation; adopt democratic, inclusive, and sustainable reforms in line with the core principles of European integration; and stop using aggressive rhetoric against the EU, EU ambassadors, and the Head of the EU Delegation—as first steps toward re-engaging on the EU path. The Council reiterates the EU’s support for Georgia’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and emphasizes that the EU remains firmly committed to the peaceful resolution of conflicts and to its policy of non-recognition and engagement, including through the work of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia.

The Council regrets Georgia’s failure to implement the recommendations of the seventh report on the visa suspension mechanism and calls on the Georgian authorities to implement these recommendations and immediately meet the visa liberalization benchmarks.

The Council also maintains a strong expectation that Georgia will intensify its efforts to achieve full alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), in particular by aligning with the EU’s restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus, adopted as a top priority in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The Council further calls on the Georgian authorities to refrain from actions and statements that contradict EU positions in foreign policy. The Council urges Georgia to continue cooperation to prevent the circumvention of EU restrictive measures,” the statement says.