European Council Warns Georgia's EU Accession In Jeopardy
Date
10/18/2024 12:00:43 AM
(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Akbar Novruz
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The European Council has issued a stark warning to Georgia,
stating that its current trajectory poses a risk to the country's
European path, effectively halting its EU accession process,
Azernews reports.
The Council urged Georgia to implement democratic,
comprehensive, and sustainable reforms in line with the fundamental
principles of European integration, as highlighted in an official
document.
“The European Council recalls that such a course of action
jeopardises Georgia's European path, and de facto halts the
accession process. It calls on Georgia to adopt democratic,
comprehensive and sustainable reforms, in line with the core
principles of European integration,” the document reads. The
Council also stressed its commitment to closely monitoring the
situation.
The Council emphasized the importance of upcoming parliamentary
elections in Georgia, calling for the elections to be free and
fair, held under international standards, and ensuring access for
both international and national observers.
The document also highlighted the need to protect free and
independent media, reiterating the EU's firm support for Georgia's
sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity within its
internationally recognized borders.“It underlines the European
Union's continued commitment to peaceful conflict resolution and
its policy of non-recognition and engagement,” the Council
concluded.
Earlier this year, in July, EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel
Herczynski, announced that the EU had suspended Georgia's accession
process, largely due to the controversial foreign influence law,
often compared to Russia's foreign agents law. This legislation
raised concerns about potential government overreach and
curtailment of civil liberties.
Additionally, reports surfaced that the European Union may
consider suspending Georgia's visa-free regime as a consequence of
the government's perceived anti-democratic actions and growing
anti-Western rhetoric.
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