MEPs Call for Suspension of EU Candidate Status for Georgia
In a letter of May 7 to European Commission Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, leading MEPs call for the suspension of Georgia’s EU candidate status, a review of EU funding of the Georgian state budget and an interim assessment of Georgia’s progress in implementing the nine steps set out by the European Commission for the opening of accession negotiations.
The MEPs, in a letter unprecedented by its content and spirit, say that “continued undemocratic behaviour of the Georgian authorities, in particular their aggressiveness in pushing through a ‘Russian-style’ law on foreign agents, silencing and using force against peaceful demonstrators, has crossed the line.” They point out that such behavior “has further increased tensions and polarisation within Georgian politics and society” and note that this “can no longer be ignored by the European Union.”
The MEPs then call on the High Representative to “take a firm stance” and to take measures “which would send a clear signal to the Georgian authorities.” Among the proposed measures are the suspension of the EU candidate’s status, as well as an interim assessment of the EC nine steps implementation and the review of the EU funding.
The MEPs stress: “In recent years we have worked tirelessly to support the Georgian people and their aspirations to join the EU.” They say they remain determined to do so, “but the democratic criteria for all EU candidate countries are the same and must be respected.”
The letter is signed by more than 30 leading MEPs representing various political groups in the European Parliament:
Petras Austrevicius, Renew Europe; Lithuania Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, Greens/EFA, Germany; Guy Verhofstadt, Renew Europe, Belgium; Riho Terras, EPP, Estonia Thijs Reuten, S&D, Netherlands; Olivier Chastel, Renew Europe, Belgium; Andrius Kubilius, EPP, Lithuania; Karen Melchior, Renew Europe, Denmark; Traian Băsescu, EPP, Romania; Benoît Lutgen, EPP, Belgium; Bernard Guetta, Renew Europe, France; Miriam Lexmann, EPP, Slovakia; Rasa Jukneviciene, EPP, Lithuania; Vladimír Bileik, EPP, Slovakia; Michaela Sojdrová, EPP, Czechia; Ana Miguel dos Santos, EPP, Portugal; Frédérique Ries, Renew Europe, Belgium; Michael Gahler, EPP, Germany; Eugen Tomac, EPP, Romania Karin Karlsbro, Renew Europe, Sweden; Niels Geuking, EPP, Germany;; Tineke Strik, Greens/EFA, Netherlands Kim van Sparrentak, Greens/EFA, Netherlands; Sabine Verheyen, EPP, Germany; Ausra Seibutyte, EPP, Lithuania; Isabel Santos, S&D, Portugal; Daniel Freund, Greens/EFA, Germany; Andrey Kovatchev, EPP, Bulgaria; Ricardo Morgado, EPP, Portugal; Sandra Kalniete, EPP, Latvia; Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Renew Europe, Germany
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