EU calls for reforms in Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova

European Parliament calls for reforms in Georgia

MEPs have published a new document in which they call on the EU to continue enlargement in both member and candidate countries and maintain that negotiations on the accession of new members to the EU must be completed by 2030.

This refers to Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova. The European Parliament calls on these three states to undertake significant reforms, noting that MEPs welcome the Council of Europe’s exceptionally swift decision on the applications of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia for EU membership and hope these countries will carry out the stipulated reforms.

The document contains three main points:

• the European Union should have no alternative to enlargement;
• it is necessary to reform the process of decision-making on accession to accept new members by a qualified majority instead of unanimity;
• accession negotiations should be completed by 2030.

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The paper also looks at the needs of candidate and applicant countries for EU membership and ways to deepen relations therewith.

MEPs note that due to Russia’s threat to the peace and stability in Europe, strengthening the enlargement policy remains the EU’s most powerful geopolitical strategy.

In their opinion, due to the need for reforms and the rule of law, funding and its tangible results should become more visible in the countries seeking candidacy. The MEPs also want the EU to work to stop third parties from interfering in political, electoral and other democratic processes in these countries.

MEPs say accession talks with Serbia should only continue if the country supports EU sanctions against Russia and makes significant progress on EU-related reforms.

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On November 8, MEPs discussed the annual report on the implementation of the Association Agreement between Georgia and the European Union at a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Brussels. In the adopted compromise document, Bidzina Ivanishvili is no longer mentioned as an oligarch, although his name appears in the chapter on deoligarchization, which also mentions the need for legal solutions to limit Ivanishvili’s excessive influence on the state.

In addition, the document refers to media harassment, political persecution, the procedure for electing a public defender, and the European Parliament calls on the Georgian authorities to transfer ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili for treatment abroad “for humanitarian purposes and to reduce polarization.”

On July 13, 2022, it became known that the European Commission will postpone assessment of the fulfillment of the 12 points outlined by the European Union for Georgia until 2023, as stated by representative of the European Commission Michael Rupp during his speech in the European Parliament.

On June 17, the European Commission prepared a report on granting Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova the status of candidates for EU membership. Ukraine and Moldova will be decided to grant EU candidate status and will be required to fulfill certain obligations, while Georgia will first be obliged to fulfill the 12-point plan and conditions, and then will have a chance to receive candidate status.

European Parliament calls for reforms in Georgia