Twenty-three non-governmental organizations in Georgia have issued a joint statement calling on the country’s authorities to withdraw the “foreign agents” law and other legislative initiatives that contradict the values of the European Union.
The NGOs urge the authorities not to oppose the desire of the overwhelming majority of Georgian citizens to become part of the European family, to protect every achievement on the path to European integration, and to fulfill the nine recommendations of the European Commission.
This NGO statement was a response to the June 27 meeting of the European Council, which brings together the leaders of the 27 EU member states. The Council expressed serious concern about recent developments and democratic regression in Georgia.
“The European Council called on the Georgian authorities to clarify their intentions by changing the current course, as it endangers Georgia’s path to the EU and could lead to the actual suspension of the accession process. Additionally, the European Council called on the authorities to ensure free and fair elections in the fall of 2024 and to put an end to physical assaults, intimidation, and threats against civil society representatives, political leaders, civil activists, and journalists,” the statement said.
The authors of the statement remind that the European Commission will present another enlargement report in the fall, which will assess Georgia’s fulfillment of the nine steps outlined by the European Commission.
“The threat of freezing Georgia’s EU accession process is real, as confirmed by statements from top EU officials and its member states. If this happens, the responsibility for this decision by the EU rests entirely with the Georgian government,” the NGOs wrote.
