On 9 May, Europe Day is celebrated across the European Union and beyond. On this date, 75 years ago, the concept of a united Europe was set in motion, an idea founded on the principles of peace, prosperity, democracy, and equality. This day is also of special significance to Georgia, as the goal of European integration, enshrined in the country’s Constitution, reflects the historical choice of the Georgian people to become a full-fledged member of a free, democratic, secure, and prosperous European family.
For the second consecutive year, Georgia marks Europe Day formally as a candidate country, having joined the EU enlargement process. However, in practice, actions undertaken by the ruling party over the past two years have deepened the gap between Georgia and the European Union, further distancing the country from the goal of EU membership.
In 2023, only six months after Georgia was granted candidate status, the European Union signaled that the integration process had come to a de facto standstill, due to the adoption of repressive laws and democratic backsliding. One year after obtaining candidate status, the Prime Minister of the ruling Georgian Dream regime announced the postponement of accession negotiations until 2028. With this announcement, the Georgian Dream regime, contrary to the will of Georgian society, deliberately rejected the reforms outlined in the European Commission’s 2023 Enlargement Report as prerequisites for advancing to the next stage of the accession process.
For accession negotiations to be formally launched, as seen with Moldova and Ukraine, the Government of Georgia was expected to deliver on the nine steps set out by the European Commission. These included judicial reform, strengthening the protection of human rights, effectively countering disinformation that undermines EU values, enhancing alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, addressing political polarisation, ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections, and more.
The Georgian government characterised the implementation of exactly these conditions as “blackmail” and subsequently suspended the EU integration process. However, in reality, this is the same path previously undertaken by other Eastern European countries, and the same standards continue to be applied to all countries aspiring to join the European Union.
The EU enlargement process is based on the Copenhagen criteria and the principle of conditionality. Candidate countries are evaluated at every stage of the accession process based on a clearly defined methodology, with particular emphasis on democracy, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights.
Opening accession negotiations constitutes one of the stages of this process and requires the fulfillment of specific preconditions. Accordingly, when the ruling party refuses to meet these conditions while simultaneously claiming its readiness to open negotiations immediately, should such a proposal be extended by the EU, it deliberately misleads the public.
In addition to rejecting reforms, the ruling regime has taken legislative and practical measures that have further deteriorated the situation in multiple areas. Georgian Dream has continued to seize control over independent institutions, initiate and adopt repressive laws aimed at dismantling civil society, restricting independent media, suppressing freedom of expression, and intimidating and persecuting citizens. Protesters and media representatives have been subjected to unlawful imprisonment for several months. All these developments fundamentally contradict Georgia’s European and democratic aspirations.
Moreover, Georgian Dream has portrayed the European Union, which for years has served as a guarantor of Georgia’s security and stability, including through its monitoring mission (EUMM), and its Member States as hostile forces.
Despite the radical shift in foreign policy by Georgian Dream and its obstruction of the EU integration process, the Georgian public has shown firm devotion to European values and an unwavering will to protect them. The ongoing public protests, held across cities for over 160 consecutive days, stand as a clear demonstration of this resolute commitment.
On this Europe Day, we once again remind society of the long and successful history of European unity, built on progress, diversity, mutual respect for cultural and religious identities, solidarity, equality, social justice, and the protection of a free society, human dignity, and peace.
Georgia’s European path is not a choice of any particular government, it is the sovereign choice of the Georgian people. Therefore, we as representatives of civil society remain firmly committed to continuing our efforts to uphold our shared European values and to secure Georgia’s place within the European Union.
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