On the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Georgia

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Georgia

(2025/2024(INI))

– having regard to the Commission communication of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘2024 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2024)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document entitled ‘Georgia 2024 Report’ (SWD(2024)0697),

– having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part,

– having regard to Article 78 of the Georgian Constitution, which requires that all possible measures be taken to ensure Georgia’s full integration into the EU and NATO,

– having regard to the final report of 20 December 2024 of the election observation mission of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on the parliamentary elections held in Georgia on 26 October 2024,

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 17 December 2024 on enlargement,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Georgia,

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0000/2025),

A. whereas in December 2023, the European Council granted Georgia candidate status on the understanding that the relevant nine steps set out in the Commission recommendation of 8 November 2023 and primarily relating to reforms in the areas of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights would be taken;

B. whereas since the situation in Georgia has deteriorated significantly since the publication of the 2024 Commission report on the country on 30 October 2024;

C. whereas the democratic backsliding in Georgia has intensified since the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024, which failed to meet international democratic standards and comply with Georgia’s OSCE commitments;

D. whereas on 28 November 2024, Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would delay initiating accession talks with the EU and reject its financial assistance until the end of 2028, disregarding the country’s constitutional commitment to European integration and effectively undermining Georgia’s sovereign Euro-Atlantic aspirations;

E. whereas the decision to pause the efforts to start accession negotiations sparked large-scale protests across the country, with protesters demanding new, free and fair elections, the return of the country to its European path, and an end to political violence and repression; whereas protests have been taking place without interruption since 28 November 2024;

Suspension of Georgia’s EU integration

1. Expresses deep regret over the fact that the ruling Georgian Dream party failed to use the historic opportunity granted to Georgia, as a candidate country, to progress on its European integration path, noting that European integration is supported by the majority of the population; underlines Georgia has not moved forward, and has in fact even regressed, on the key provisions of the nine steps indicated by the Commission, despite the authorities’ claims to the contrary; stresses that Georgia’s EU integration process has effectively been suspended as a result of the continued democratic backsliding in the country and the adoption of anti-democratic legislation that runs counter to the values and principles upon which the EU is founded;

2. Reiterates its unwavering support for the Georgian people’s legitimate European aspirations and their wish to live in a prosperous and democratic country, as expressed in mass protests that continued despite brutal crackdowns by the authorities; strongly condemns the violent repression of peaceful protesters, political opponents and media representatives; demands that the Georgian authorities refrain from using force, respect the freedoms of assembly and of expression and annul the recently adopted draconian legislation aimed at stifling popular protests; calls for all acts of violence to be investigated and for those responsible to be held accountable;

3. Stresses the need for an immediate and comprehensive audit of the EU’s policy towards Georgia given the ongoing democratic backsliding in the country; calls, in this regard, on the Commission to review the implementation of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement in the light of the breach of Georgia’s obligations regarding the general principles laid down in Article 2, namely respect for democratic principles, human rights and fundamental freedoms; reiterates that non-fulfilment of these obligations may result in the conditional suspension of economic cooperation and the privileges afforded by the Agreement;

4. Deplores the fact that high-level ruling party officials, members of parliament and government-affiliated media regularly spread manipulative narratives, disinformation and conspiracy theories about the EU and European integration;

5. Underlines the role that Bidzina Ivanishvili has played in the deterioration of the political process in Georgia by enabling democratic backsliding and by acting against the country’s constitutionally declared interests of Euro-Atlantic integration; calls, therefore, for immediate and targeted personal sanctions to be introduced against him, his family members and his companies and for his known assets in the EU to be frozen;

Continued backsliding on democracy and the rule of law

6. Reiterates its position that the settlement of the current political and constitutional crisis in Georgia can only be achieved by way of new parliamentary elections, which should be held in the next few months in an improved electoral environment, overseen by an independent and impartial election administration and monitored through diligent international observation to guarantee a genuinely fair, free and transparent process;

7. Stresses that it does not recognise the self-proclaimed authorities established by the Georgian Dream party following the rigged parliamentary elections of 26 October 2024; regrets the fact that the Parliament of Georgia is a one-party parliament, which is incompatible with a pluralistic parliamentary democracy;

8. Underlines that the policy of non-recognition of the legitimacy of the one-party parliament and the president appointed by it should continue until there is a tangible change in the political course of Georgia; calls for the EU’s and the Member States’ representatives and members of parliament to refrain from meetings with representatives of the regime, starting with the current de facto president; continues to recognise Salome Zourabichvili as the legitimate President of Georgia and representative of the Georgian people;

9. Condemns the continuing and deliberate destruction of the environment for Georgia’s vibrant civil society, with the adoption of restrictive legislation on the transparency of foreign influence, threats, and stigmatisation by the authorities; calls on the authorities to immediately cease the intimidation, threats and physical assaults against civil society representatives, political leaders, civil activists and journalists in Georgia; stresses the urgent need to support Georgia’s civil society and independent media in the light of the growing repression and the suspension of the activities of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and therefore asks the Commission to increase support without delay;

10. Reiterates that the measures taken by the EU so far do not reflect the severity of the situation in Georgia; stresses that the absence of unanimity among the Member States should not prevent those willing to take appropriate and effective measures from doing so; calls on the EU’s leadership to rally like-minded Member States to take coordinated action and thereby surmount the political obstacles to adopting EU-wide sanctions;

11. Calls for the EU and its Member States to introduce, on a bilateral and coordinated basis, personal sanctions against key political leaders, officials and the regime’s enablers in the administration, business, media, justice system and law enforcement agencies, who are responsible for democratic backsliding, electoral fraud, human rights violations and the persecution of political opponents and activists; welcomes the introduction of bilateral sanctions by Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Czechia and Germany;

12. Welcomes the Council’s decision to suspend visa-free travel for Georgian diplomats and officials as a first step in response to the persistent negative developments in Georgia; reiterates its call on the Commission and the Council to review Georgia’s visa-free status, with the possibility of suspending it if the relevant benchmarks and standards on democratic governance and freedoms are not met;

Alignment on foreign policy matters

13. Regrets that Georgia has made no progress on implementing Commission’s recommendations on foreign, security and defence policy and that the level of Georgia’s alignment with the EU’s common foreign and security policy remains remarkably low, demonstrating its lack of commitment to European integration; notes that Georgia has not aligned with the vast majority of sanctions against Russia, Belarus and Iran, but has cooperated closely with the EU to prevent sanctions circumvention; stresses that the ruling party is undoing decades of progress towards European integration and NATO membership and is alienating its allies, who had supported it throughout the process;

14. Is deeply concerned about the Georgian Dream government’s collaboration and rapprochement with Russia, despite Russia’s creeping occupation of Georgia’s territory; deplores Georgian Dream’s promotion of Russian disinformation and manipulation;

15. Notes that support from the European Peace Facility, worth EUR 30 million, was suspended in 2024 in response to the democratic backsliding in Georgia and that no support is planned for 2025;

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16. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the self-appointed authorities of Georgia.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This is the first report on Georgia as an EU candidate country, taking into account the 2023 and 2024 Commission reports on Georgia. It also addresses the significant deterioration of the situation in the country since the publication of the 2024 Commission report and builds on the European Parliament’s positions expressed in its recent resolutions on Georgia.

The report focuses the European Parliament’s main concerns regarding the state of democracy, rule of law and European integration of Georgia.

Regrettably, there has been a continuous democratic backsliding in Georgia, which intensified since the rigged parliamentary elections on 26 October 2024. Georgian authorities announced the suspension of European integration until 2028, prompting country-wide mass protests, which were met with brutal violence and adoption of restrictive legislation.

The country finds itself in a political and constitutional crisis, which further fuels the long-standing political polarisation. Georgian authorities continue to spread manipulative narratives and disinformation about the EU and the European integration. The civil society, political opposition and independent media continue to face threats, intimidation and assaults as well as an increasingly restrictive environment for their activities. Mass protests have been continuing uninterrupted since 28 November 2024, demanding new transparent democratic elections, accountability for human rights violations, and the return to the pro-European path.

The report highlights the EU role and responsibility to support the Georgian society and its legitimate constitutional pro-European aspirations. The EU and its Member States must urgently recalibrate their relationship with Georgia’s self-appointed regime and take concrete measures in support of the civil society and the media, including by implementing coordinated bilateral sanctions, refraining from recognising the illegitimate authorities, substantially increasing financial support to the non-governmental sector and the independent media, and mediating the way forward to new elections.

The report reiterates the Parliament’s position that in order to overcome the current crisis, new parliamentary elections need to be held in an improved electoral environment, overseen by an independent and impartial election administration and monitored through diligent international observation to guarantee a genuinely fair, free and transparent process.

ANNEX: ENTITIES OR PERSONS FROM WHOM THE RAPPORTEUR HAS RECEIVED INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur declares that she received input from the following entities or persons in the preparation of the draft report:

Entity and/or person

European Commission

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.