EU Halts Georgia's Membership Path Over Controversial NGO Law

Social Media · June 28

The European Union has declared that Georgia's progress towards EU membership has reached an impasse due to a controversial foreign influence law. At a summit in Brussels, European leaders criticized the law as a significant setback on Georgia's path to membership, effectively halting the accession process. This development comes after Georgia was granted EU candidate country status last December, contingent upon the completion of a series of reforms, including justice reform.

In a show of solidarity, EU leaders meeting in Brussels expressed their unwavering support for the Georgian people and urged the government in Tbilisi to reconsider its current trajectory. European Union officials have harshly criticized the new foreign influence law, which was passed amid significant anti-government protests and is set to take effect next month.

Opponents of the legislation have labeled it a "Russian law" due to its resemblance to existing laws in Russia. They argue that the true intent of the legislation is to suppress dissent ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October. Under the new law, media outlets and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad will be required to register as "organizations acting in the interest of a foreign power." These organizations will also be subject to rigorous audits and potentially face punitive fines.

The Georgian government defends the law as a measure to ensure transparency regarding foreign financial support for NGOs and to protect the country from foreign interference. However, the EU's ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, indicated that the adoption of this law has severely strained relations between Tbilisi and the European Union. "The adoption of this law, as I see it, froze Georgia's integration into the European Union," Herczynski stated, as reported by Georgia's Interpress news agency.

The United States has also voiced concerns, asserting that the law poses a threat to free speech. In recent weeks, thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets to protest the measure. Reports have emerged of NGO workers, activists, and opposition politicians facing threats or physical assaults during rallies.

EU leaders have called for an immediate end to the increasing incidents of intimidation, threats, and physical assaults against civil society representatives, political leaders, activists, and journalists in Georgia. They emphasized their commitment to closely monitoring the situation and urged the Georgian government to ensure that the upcoming elections are "free and fair."

The current situation in Georgia has placed the country's EU aspirations in jeopardy. The controversial foreign influence law has not only sparked domestic unrest but has also drawn significant international condemnation. As the October parliamentary elections approach, the Georgian government faces mounting pressure to align with EU expectations and uphold democratic principles.

Credit: BBC 2024-06-29

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newbee2022 · June 29

5 hours ago, Social Media said:

The European Union has declared that Georgia's progress towards EU membership has reached an impasse due to a controversial foreign influence law. At a summit in Brussels, European leaders criticized the law as a significant setback on Georgia's path to membership, effectively halting the accession process. This development comes after Georgia was granted EU candidate country status last December, contingent upon the completion of a series of reforms, including justice reform.

In a show of solidarity, EU leaders meeting in Brussels expressed their unwavering support for the Georgian people and urged the government in Tbilisi to reconsider its current trajectory. European Union officials have harshly criticized the new foreign influence law, which was passed amid significant anti-government protests and is set to take effect next month.

Opponents of the legislation have labeled it a "Russian law" due to its resemblance to existing laws in Russia. They argue that the true intent of the legislation is to suppress dissent ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for October. Under the new law, media outlets and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad will be required to register as "organizations acting in the interest of a foreign power." These organizations will also be subject to rigorous audits and potentially face punitive fines.

The Georgian government defends the law as a measure to ensure transparency regarding foreign financial support for NGOs and to protect the country from foreign interference. However, the EU's ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, indicated that the adoption of this law has severely strained relations between Tbilisi and the European Union. "The adoption of this law, as I see it, froze Georgia's integration into the European Union," Herczynski stated, as reported by Georgia's Interpress news agency.

The United States has also voiced concerns, asserting that the law poses a threat to free speech. In recent weeks, thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets to protest the measure. Reports have emerged of NGO workers, activists, and opposition politicians facing threats or physical assaults during rallies.

EU leaders have called for an immediate end to the increasing incidents of intimidation, threats, and physical assaults against civil society representatives, political leaders, activists, and journalists in Georgia. They emphasized their commitment to closely monitoring the situation and urged the Georgian government to ensure that the upcoming elections are "free and fair."

The current situation in Georgia has placed the country's EU aspirations in jeopardy. The controversial foreign influence law has not only sparked domestic unrest but has also drawn significant international condemnation. As the October parliamentary elections approach, the Georgian government faces mounting pressure to align with EU expectations and uphold democratic principles.

Credit: BBC 2024-06-29

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribeAnot