“EU Urges Georgia to Withdraw ‘Foreign Agent’ Bill”,In Brussels, the European Union issued a statement on Wednesday, May 15, urging Georgia to retract its contentious “foreign agents” law. The EU cautioned that the implementation of such a measure could hinder Georgia’s aspirations to become a member of the bloc. This warning underscores the EU’s concerns regarding the potential impact of the law on Georgia’s democratic credentials and its alignment with European standards. The EU’s stance reflects its commitment to supporting Georgia’s democratic development and integration into European structures while advocating for the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.
“The adoption of this law negatively impacts Georgia’s progress on the EU path,” stated a joint statement from EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. This remark underscores the significant concern within the EU regarding the implications of Georgia’s “foreign agents” law on its trajectory towards European integration.
The statement highlights the potential setbacks to Georgia’s alignment with EU standards and values, emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues to maintain momentum towards closer ties with the European Union.”The choice on the way forward is in Georgia’s hands. We urge the Georgian authorities to withdraw the law.”
“It will undermine the work of civil society and independent media while freedom of association and freedom of expression are fundamental rights at the core of Georgia’s commitments as part of the Association Agreement and of any EU accession path.”
Officials initially tried to agree a statement among the bloc’s 27 member governments but that foundered on resistance from Hungary and Slovakia, diplomats said.
It then took more time to agree a Commission statement between Borrell, a Spanish social democrat, and Varhelyi, a Hungarian nominated by his country’s nationalist government.
