Georgia Not Invited to Informal EU Meeting in Denmark
Unlike other EU candidate countries, representatives of the Georgian Dream government have not been invited to the informal EU meeting in Copenhagen on September 1–2, the Danish Foreign Ministry confirmed to Interpressnews, citing Tbilisi’s November decision to suspend its EU integration process.
The informal meeting will bring together Ministers for European Affairs from the 27 EU Member States and representatives from EU candidate countries, including Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans, and Türkiye. The meeting that comes amid the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU will focus, among others, on EU enlargement issues
“In November 2024, the Georgian government declared that it had decided to suspend the country’s EU integration process until 2028. The EU has taken note of that,” the Danish Ministry was quoted by the Georgian outlet on August 4. “The Danish Presidency will follow the precedent set by the Polish Presidency and, as a general rule, not invite Georgia in the capacity as candidate country.”
Georgia was also absent from the EU’s informal “Gymnich” meeting of foreign ministers held in Warsaw on May 7–8, which traditionally includes candidate countries. EU officials said at the time that Georgia was excluded due to democratic backsliding and recent legislative actions that undermine core European values.
Georgia, which was granted EU candidate status in 2023, has faced increasing criticism from Brussels following a shift in its political direction, marked by repressive laws and a weakening commitment to democratic values. On November 28, 2024, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced halting the EU integration process, sparking non-stop protests now in their ninth month.
Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili dismissed the Danish ministry’s comments as disinformation.
“When the Danish government spreads disinformation, it is deeply concerning […]this goes against the fundamental principles of the European Union,” Papuashvili said at a press briefing on August 5. “There has never been any suspension of European integration, especially not on November 28 as they claim. It is disappointing that today we are hearing lies from member states of the European Union.”
Papuashvili said that Georgian representatives were also not invited to the upcoming session of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC), apparently referring to the plenary session to be held in Denmark from November 30 to December 2.
“We also received a letter from the European Integration Committee of the Danish Parliament stating that the Chair of the European Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia would not be invited to the so-called COSAC format in Denmark,” he said, adding that both the letter and his response would be made public. He claimed the exclusion was a “violation of procedures” by Denmark and reiterated that any claim of a halt to EU integration was “disinformation.”
Commenting on the Danish Foreign Ministry’s decision, Korneli Kakachia, director of the Georgian Institute of Politics, a local think-tank, said Georgia is now effectively in a state of isolation.
“In practice, we have long been detached from the enlargement process, given the government’s statement that it does not intend to address this issue until 2028,” he told TV Pirveli channel. “As a result, Georgia is no longer even considered an enlargement candidate country, and many now seriously question where the country stands and whether it is genuinely moving toward a European future.”
The EU has given Georgia until August 31 to report on its progress in implementing key recommendations related to democratic reforms and the protection of human rights, warning that failure to do so could result in the suspension of the visa-free travel regime that Georgian citizens have enjoyed since 2017.
Also Read:
- 15/07/2025 – Brussels Warns Consequences as EU Foreign Ministers Discuss Suspending Visa-Free for Georgia
- 11/07/2025 – EU’s Kallas, 17 European FMs ‘Disturbed, Deeply Concerned’ Over Georgia’s ‘Deteriorating Situation’
- 09/05/2025 – Georgia Not Invited to Informal EU Meeting in Warsaw
- 02/04/2025 – EU: Adopted Laws Erode Foundations of Democracy in Georgia
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