The EU warns Georgia that it may close the door to accession if democratic deterioration continues

BRUSSELS, June 24 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, issued a warning this Monday to Georgia about its aspirations to enter the European bloc, ensuring that the door to accession will be closed if it continues with measures that represent a democratic deterioration. such as the foreign agents law that limits the role of NGOs and the media.

“One thing is clear: the door for Georgia to become a member of the European Union is open. But if the Government continues on the same path, continues doing what it is doing, this door will close,” he assured in statements to his arrival at the Foreign Council meeting in Luxembourg.

At this Monday’s meeting, the ministers of the EU branch have issued a warning regarding the drift of Tbilisi, pointing to measures to respond to the dispute raised by the Georgian Dream government party after the approval of the controversial regulations, although they will seek to avoid a collective punishment to Georgian society, mostly pro-European.

In this sense, Borrell has lamented that the Georgian people “will pay the consequences” if the Georgian Executive continues to ignore the EU’s requests, so the country’s European perspective “may be diminished or even nullified.”

The head of EU Foreign Affairs has designed a plan with different measures for the 27 to act in the case of Georgia. On the table is limiting military support through the European Peace Mechanism, reducing contacts at the highest level between the EU and Georgia or stopping certain financial aid that ends up in the coffers of the Georgian government, Borrell himself has previously indicated. of the meeting.

In previous statements, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, José Manuel Albares, has advocated sending a “wake-up call” to Tbilisi. “Let’s hope that Georgia returns to the path that we want and that we understand that both the Government and the people of Georgia want to be part of the European family,” he said.

Along the same lines, the Finnish minister, Elina Valtonen, has valued measures that respond to the Tbilisi Government but that maintain the pro-European hope of Georgian society. “There are measures that can be taken such as making it more difficult for Georgian officials to travel to the EU,” she stressed.

“It is a sad day, since we discuss the situation in Georgia not because they are taking steps towards the EU but quite the opposite,” said his Estonian colleague, Margus Tsahkna, who has warned that there will be no progress on the European path if Tbilisi does not back down first on the foreign agents law. “The situation is serious and the responsibility falls on the shoulders of the Georgian government,” he stressed.

For Lithuania, the options put on the table by Borrell fall short since, in his opinion, freezing Georgia’s integration into the EU must be directly considered. “This has to be mentioned,” defended Foreign Minister Gabrielus Landsbergis.