Civil Georgia | MEPs call for Georgia’s EU candidate status to be suspended

In a May 7 letter to European Commission Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, leading members of the European Parliament call for the suspension of Georgia’s EU candidate status, a review of EU funding of Georgia’s state budget and a Interim assessment of Georgia’s progress in implementing the nine steps set out by the European Commission for the opening of accession negotiations.

The MPs write in a letter unprecedented in its content and spirit that “the Georgian authorities’ undemocratic behavior continues, in particular their aggressiveness in enforcing a ‘Russian-style’ law on foreign agents, silence and the use of force against peaceful demonstrators.”, has crossed the line.” They point out that such behavior “has further increased tensions and polarization in Georgian politics and society” and point out that this “is no longer supported by the European Union can be ignored.”

MEPs then called on the High Representative to “take a firm stance” and take measures “that would send a clear signal to the Georgian authorities”. The proposed measures include the suspension of EU candidate status, as well as an interim assessment of the implementation of the EC’s nine steps and the review of EU funding.

The MEPs emphasize: “In recent years we have worked tirelessly to support the Georgian people and their aspirations to join the EU.” They say they remain committed to doing so, “but the democratic criteria for all EU -Candidate countries are the same and must be respected.”

The letter is signed by more than 30 leading MEPs representing different political groups in the European Parliament:

Petras Austrevicius, Renewal of Europe; Lithuania Viola by Cramon-Taubadel, Greens/EFA, Germany; Guy Verhofstadt, Renew Europe, Belgium; Riho Terras, EPP, Estonia Thijs Reuten, S&D, Netherlands; Olivier Chastel, Renew Europe, Belgium; Andrius Kubilius, EPP, Lithuania; Karen Melchior, Renew Europe, Denmark; Traian Băsescu, EPP, Romania; Benoît Lutgen, EPP, Belgium; Bernard Guetta, Renew Europe, France; Miriam Lexmann, EPP, Slovakia; Rasa Jukneviciene, EPP, Lithuania; Vladimír Bileik, EPP, Slovakia; Michaela Sojdrová, EPP, Czech Republic; Ana Miguel dos Santos, EPP, Portugal; Frédérique Ries, Renew Europe, Belgium; Michael Gahler, EVP, Germany; Eugen Tomac, EVP, Romania Karin Karlsbro, Renew Europe, Sweden; Niels Geuking, EPP, Germany; Tineke Strik, Greens/EFA, Netherlands Kim van Sparrentak, Greens/EFA, Netherlands; Sabine Verheyen, EVP, Germany; Ausra Seibutyte, EPP, Lithuania; Isabel Santos, S&D, Portugal; Daniel Freund, Greens/EFA, Germany; Andrey Kovatchev, EPP, Bulgaria; Ricardo Morgado, EPP, Portugal; Sandra Kalniete, EVP, Latvia; Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Renew Europe, Germany

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