As EU foreign ministers prepare to discuss Georgia on November 18, the European Union Delegation to Georgia has published an assessment of Georgia’s implementation of the nine steps set out by the European Commission last year after the country was granted EU candidate status. The EU candidate status was granted to the country, despite the fact that most of the steps were not implemented, on the condition that the required nine steps would be implemented.
“The granting of candidate status to Georgia has not been followed by sufficient political commitment to necessary reforms on the EU path and Georgia made insignificant progress on the nine steps. Unless Georgia reverts course, the Commission will not be in a position to consider recommending opening negotiations,” the EU Delegation says.
The EC assessment of the implementation of each step is as follows:
- Step 1 (fighting disinformation and foreign information manipulation): Disinformation and manipulation of EU-related information has increased and “harsh” anti-EU messages have become recurrent;
- Step 2 (improving alignment with the EU common foreign and security policy): Georgia’s alignment rate with statements of the EU High Representative and Council decisions on the Common Foreign and Security Policy remained persistently low (below 50%);
- Step 3 (addressing the issue of political polarization): Political polarization further deepened. Cross-party cooperation was very limited, and threats towards opposition and civil society continued;
- Step 4 (ensuring a free, fair and competitive electoral process): The OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission identified several shortcomings and weaknesses. A comprehensive electoral reform is still pending;
- Step 5 (improving parliamentary oversight and institutional independence): Parliamentary oversight over security services remained limited. The institutional independence of the CEC was reduced. Some positive steps have been taken with regard to the Communications Commission;
- Step 6 (ensuring a holistic and effective judicial reform): Recent legal amendments do not tackle judicial reform in a holistic and effective manner. (Changes to Law on the Prosecution Service do not align with European standards);
- Step 7 (addressing the effectiveness of the Anti-Corruption Bureau): The Anti-Corruption Bureau does not have a sufficient degree of independence, and further efforts are needed to tackle high-level corruption and to address large-scale vested interests;
- Step 8 (ensuring a systemic approach to de-oligarchization): There has been some progress on the implementation of the deoligarchization action plan. Tax-free transfer of offshore funds to Georgia is not in line with international best practice;
- Step 9 (improving the protection of human rights and ensuring meaningful involvement of civil society): The Law on transparency of foreign influence undermines fundamental rights and has a chilling effect on CSOs. The Law on family values and protection of minors infringes upon fundamental rights and promotes a hostile environment, stigmatization and discrimination.
EU foreign ministers are meeting today, 18 November, to discuss Georgia. The discussion comes amid allegations of widespread rigging of the 26 October parliamentary elections and against a backdrop of protests against the allegedly stolen polls. The discussions are expected to focus on the EU’s response to Georgia’s democratic backsliding.
Speaking to journalists at the doorstep, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said he will propose “to stop supporting an important part of the programs that goes to the Government. More than 100 million euros will be frozen and instead to be allocated to the Government, [they] will be allocated to the civil society organizations.”
He also said that “the people of Georgia will continue to be supported by the European Union,” noting that while the EU accession process is on hold until the government returns to the EU track, EU funds will be used for “the people who are fighting for their freedom.”
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