Georgia has announced the suspension of negotiations on joining the European Union for four years. About this stated Prime Minister Irakliy Kobakhidze, accusing some European politicians of “blackmail and manipulation”. His words infuriated the opposition and sparked a new wave of protests in the country.
Kobakhidze made the announcement shortly after being re-elected to the post by members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, which won parliamentary elections in October. The election, seen by many as a referendum on the country’s European aspirations, was boycotted by the opposition, claiming the vote was rigged with Russian influence.
European observers noted that the elections took place in conditions of serious political division and were accompanied by cases of bribery, double voting and violence.
Although the EU granted Georgia candidate status in December 2023 subject to a series of recommendations, the accession process was suspended and EU financial support ended earlier this year. The reason was the adoption of the law on “foreign influence”, which is considered by many as a threat to democratic freedoms.
The prime minister emphasized that Georgia will continue to work on EU integration, but the opening of accession negotiations will not be considered until the end of 2028.
