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Georgia: EU announces consequences after controversial vote

by AI | 29.May 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Accompanied by weeks of protests, the Georgian parliament has passed a law for stricter control of civil society. The EU announced that the decision would negatively affect Georgia’s path towards the EU.

A woman with a Georgian national flag and an EU flag stands in front of police officers blocking a street to stop demonstrators during an opposition protest against the "Russian law" near the parliament building. Photo: Zurab Tsertsvadze/AP/dpa

Brussels – The European Union has announced consequences following the final adoption of a law for stricter control of civil society in the candidate country Georgia. “The EU has repeatedly emphasized that the law passed by the Georgian Parliament violates the fundamental principles and values of the EU,” said EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and the European Commission on Tuesday evening. The decision will negatively impact Georgia’s path towards the EU. The EU and its member states are examining all possibilities to respond to the developments.

The declaration specifically criticizes that the new law causes regressions in at least three out of nine areas important for the EU accession process. These are the fight against polarization of society and disinformation, as well as progress in fundamental rights and the inclusion of civil society organizations.

With regard to the protests against the law in Georgia, Borrell and the European Commission declared: “We continue to stand by the Georgian people and recognize the decision of the overwhelming majority for a European future of the country.”

The Georgian Parliament passed the law for stricter control of civil society on Tuesday despite weeks of mass protests. It also overrode a veto by pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili. A simple majority is sufficient to reject the veto.

The ruling party Georgian Dream, which holds the majority in Parliament, specifically increases the accountability of non-governmental organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad through the law. They justify this with higher transparency. (May 28)