EU Commission oral report says only 3 of 12 priorities for Georgia’s candidacy fully met – source

The European Commission on Wednesday presented an oral report evaluating the progress of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova on their EU integration path to the ambassadors of the bloc’s member states, ahead of the EU’s forthcoming decision on whether to grant Georgia its membership candidate status later this year. 

 

The report said Georgia had fully met only three of the 12 conditions and seven were partially fulfilled, while “no progress” had been achieved on one recommendation and “limited progress” had been observed on the remaining one, Radio Liberty cited a source as saying. 

 

The three recommendations that were considered fully implemented were related to the election of the country’s public advocate, efforts for strengthening gender equality and combating violence against women, and considering the judgements of the European Court of Human Rights.

 

Media pluralism turned out to be the only priority on which Georgia had made no progress, per the report. 

 

The representatives of the European Commission said it was necessary to raise the level of protection of the rights of journalists and owners of media outlets, and mentioned the need for changes in the Law on Broadcasting.

 

The seven conditions where Georgia had demonstrated partial progress were related to overcoming political polarisation, independence of institutions, inclusive and effective judicial reform, the fight against corruption, the engagement of civil society organisations in the decision-making process, the fight against organised crime, and protection of human rights. 

 

Limited progress has been observed in efforts over deoligarchisation. 

 

Ukraine had fully fulfilled two of seven recommendations and demonstrated “some progress” on the remaining five, the EU Commission said, while Moldova had fully fulfilled three of nine priorities, had “good progress” on three and “certain progress” on the remaining three. 
Georgia applied for EU membership on March 3, 2022, along with Ukraine and Moldova, shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. 

 

The European Council in June 2022 granted Ukraine and Moldova the bloc’s full candidacy with conditions, while Georgia obtained only a European perspective and 12 conditions to receive the status later. 

 

Tbilisi called the decision “historic”, but “unfair, not merit-based and politically grounded, claiming it was “far ahead” of both states with its level of democracy, before expressing hopes for the bloc’s “just approach” on the status in December. 

 

The Georgian Dream authorities claimed earlier this month all conditions would be “fully met” by the end of June.