The European Commission harshly criticized the draft law on the registration of "foreign agents" adopted in Georgia and emphasized that it is incompatible with the country's European integration, which has de facto stalled.
Points of attention
- Georgia's law on “foreign agents” has raised concerns in the EU, leading to criticisms from top officials regarding its threat to democracy and European integration.
- The European Commission emphasizes that the “foreign agents” law is incompatible with Georgia's aspirations for a democratic European future.
- The EU has called on Georgian authorities to release detained individuals and respect democratic values to prevent further regression in the country's democracy.
The European Commission criticized the Georgian law on "foreign agents"
This is stated in a joint statement by the EU's chief diplomat, Kai Kallas, and the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos.
Officials noted that the law on registering "foreign agents" is another manifestation of democratic backsliding in Georgia, in addition to the recent law on broadcasting and grant restrictions.
These repressive measures threaten the very survival of democratic principles in Georgia and the future of its citizens in a free and open society. In its conclusions of June and October 2024, the European Council noted that such developments jeopardize Georgia's European path. The accession process has de facto stalled, Kallas and Kos noted.
On behalf of the EU, they called on the Georgian authorities to respect the aspirations of Georgian citizens for a democratic European future, and also called for the release of unjustly detained journalists, activists and opposition leaders.
The EU is ready to consider putting Georgia back on the path to EU accession if the authorities take convincing steps to halt the democratic backsliding. The responsibility for this lies solely with the Georgian authorities.
As a reminder, on May 31, the law "on foreign agents" came into force in Georgia, which the authorities call an analogue of the American law FARA.
Also this week, another opposition leader was arrested in Georgia in connection with his refusal to testify before a parliamentary commission investigating "Saakashvili's crimes."
