Georgia's EU candidate status at risk over foreign agents law

If the authorities of Georgia do not back down from the plan to adopt the law on so-called foreign agents, the European Commission (EC) may deny the country candidate status to the European Union (EU) this October, according to "Foreign Policy". The country obtained the status in 2023.

- The EU institutions are ready to engage in an uncompromising game with Tbilisi. If the Georgian authorities continue their current political course in the autumn, the EC will probably not confirm Georgia's status as a candidate country in the annual report on countries involved in the accession process - said a high-ranking EU official quoted in "Foreign Policy" on condition of anonymity.

Congressman Joe Wilson in an interview with the website Politico on Monday informed - The United States wants to encourage the Georgian government to withdraw from plans to adopt the controversial law on so-called foreign agents, considered by a large part of Georgian society and many experts to be inspired by the Kremlin

- If this condition is met, and the Georgian authorities guarantee fair and free elections in the country, the USA could enter into talks with this state regarding granting it trade preferences and military aid, as well as offering visa regime liberalization for Georgian citizens - he added.

The White House and the US State Department had earlier warned the government in Tbilisi that pushing through the unpopular law could result in Washington imposing restrictions on Georgia and force the USA to make a "fundamental reorientation" of its relations with the country.

- We cannot be as radical as the USA because then we would send the wrong signal to the Georgians. The inhabitants of this country would think that we are turning our backs on them in a situation where their only hope is the Union - said a representative of one of the EU institutions quoted by "Foreign Policy".

For over a month, mass protests against the law on foreign agents have been taking place in Georgia. According to critics, it will enable the authorities to destroy civil society and introduce an authoritarian model of governance in the Russian style. As they argue, in practice, this will also mean a return to the Russian sphere of influence, as it is already evident that the adoption of the law is causing an unprecedented crisis in Tbilisi's relations with the West.

The Georgian authorities argue that they are solely concerned with "transparency and defence of sovereignty". They call their actions' critics the "party of global war" and accused "external forces" of organizing the protest.

The new law stipulates that legal entities and media receiving more than 20 per cent of their funding from abroad will be required to register as foreign influence agents.

On 18 May, President Salome Zurabiszwili vetoed the law. However, the ruling party has enough votes to override the president's veto.