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This article has been translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The news agency is not responsible for the content of the translated article. The original was published by Ritzau.

The EU warns Georgia that the door to membership may close

by AI | 28.Jun 2024 | Europe in brief AI

“Official actors” at “the highest level” in Georgia are spreading misinformation about the EU, says the EU’s foreign policy chief.

The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, warns Georgia that the path to EU membership may close. Photo: Nicolas Landemard / Zuma Press / ContactoPhoto

The leaders of the EU countries want to expand the EU with several new countries. But for the candidate country Georgia, things are currently going in the wrong direction. This is stated by the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, after a foreign ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.

“It is the second foreign ministers’ meeting in a row where we discuss worrying developments in Georgia,” says Josep Borrell.

He states that on this basis, the EU countries are considering pausing economic support to the Georgian government and downgrading political contacts. The conflict is due to a new law in Georgia. It tightens the rules for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that receive foreign funding.

The legislation requires independent media and other civil society organizations to register as “foreign agents” and submit information to the state if they receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad.
The ruling party, Georgian Dream, justified the law by saying that it should create greater transparency and strengthen Georgia’s sovereignty. However, it has led to mass protests in the country. And to criticism from the EU and the USA. However, it has not caused the government to change its stance.