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Day: June 24, 2024
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NPR News: 06-24-2024 5PM EDT
Borrell on Georgia and the European Union
At a press conference of foreign ministers held in Brussels, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated that, according to the majority of EU foreign ministers, the Georgian government is distancing the country from the European Union. He warned that if the government does not change its course, Georgia’s path to the EU will be closed.
Borrell mentioned that due to the adoption of the “foreign agents” law, political contacts with the Georgian authorities will be reduced, government support will be frozen, and European credit financing lines will be reviewed.
He reiterated that the adoption of the “foreign agents” law is pushing Georgia further away from the European Union instead of bringing it closer.
What Borrell said
“We had a lively debate about Georgia. After the Foreign Affairs Council in May, for the second time in a row, we discussed worrying political events in Georgia, including the adoption of the law “On transparency of foreign influence”.
We regret the misinformation about the EU and its values coming from the official actors. We heard Georgian voices at the highest level, who surprisingly claimed that this law brings the country closer to the European Union. I want to be clear: no, no! This law and all the negative developments around it are pushing Georgia away from the European Union. I can’t be clearer and more concise.
This is pushing Georgia away from the European Union, and this statement is being supported by 26 out of 27 members. This is not unanimity, but we do not need unanimity to make political evaluation of the situation.
We understand that this dynamic goes against the will of the overwhelming majority of the population of Georgia, and the overwhelming majority of the ministers today were very clear that the Georgian government is bringing the country away from the European Union, and if the government does not change the course of action, Georgia will not progress on the European Union path. I can say it louder, but not clearer”.
“In parallel, we will increase support to civil society and the media. We will counter disinformation and increase support for the election process. I distributed the option paper, we will continue to monitor the situation and, if necessary, take measures, we will downgrade political contacts with Georgia. We will consider halting financial aid to the government and we will reconsider our support from the European Peace Facility.
This can be done immediately, but we will continue looking at the situation and taking more measures if it further deteriorates. I want to stress that we stand with the Georgian people and their overwhelming choice in favor of democracy on Georgia’s future inside the European Union”.