09.07.2024 18:41
The European Union has suspended Georgia's accession process due to the implementation of the "transparency of foreign influence" law. The controversial legislation required organizations in Georgia that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as "organizations serving the interests of a foreign power" or face financial penalties.
The European Union (EU) has announced that Georgia's accession process has been suspended due to the controversial "transparency of foreign influence" law that sparked debates.
According to a post from the EU Delegation to Georgia's Twitter account, the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, made statements about the country's accession process to the EU at an event in the capital, Tbilisi. Herczynski stated that "Unfortunately, Georgia's accession process to the EU has been suspended for now," and added that this decision was made by the leaders who attended the recent EU Leaders Summit.
30 MILLION EURO FINANCIAL AID ALSO FROZEN
Herczynski also mentioned that as part of this decision, the EU has frozen 30 million euros of financial aid for Georgia for the year 2024, and stated that "If the situation worsens further, other measures are also being considered." The Ambassador expressed his disappointment by saying, "It is sad to see that the EU-Georgia relations are at such a low point when they could have been at their highest level."
AB-GEORGIA RELATIONS AFTER THE CONTROVERSIAL LAW
Protests started in Georgia after the "transparency of foreign influence" bill was presented to the Parliament in April. The legal regulation required organizations in Georgia that receive more than 20% of their funds from abroad to register as "organizations serving the interests of a foreign power" or face fines.
The bill, which was submitted by the ruling Georgian Dream Party in April and approved in a vote in Parliament on May 14, was vetoed by President Salome Zurabishvili on May 18. However, the veto was overridden when the bill was approved again with 84 votes in favor and 4 against in a vote on May 28.
The relations between the EU and Georgia have been strained due to the implementation of this law, and EU officials have repeatedly called for the withdrawal of the law. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, warned on June 24 that "the country's EU membership is at risk" if the Georgian government continues its policies in this direction.
Georgia, which applied for EU membership in March 2022, was granted candidate country status in December 2023.