GRASS founder Kapanadze: EP critical report will have its influence on Georgia’s EU bid

Whether or not Georgia is granted the EU candidate country status will be largely dependent on the problematic issues raised in the recent European Parliament (EP) report, which was commissioned by EP and will be used by the latter to draft its official report later, founder of Georgia’s Reforms Associates (GRASS), former deputy FM of Georgia Sergi Kapanadze has told Front News. 

The EP released its commissioned report earlier this week over the implementation of the Georgia-EU Association Agreement (AA), covering 2020-2022. 

The report said that “Georgia has seriously backslided with respect to the basic democratic principles and key political commitments it made as part of the AA.”

Kapanadze believes that such assessments are particularly harmful when the EU is discussing whether or not to grant the candidate country status to Georgia, following the latter’s move earlier this month to apply for EU membership. 

“Such criticism is especially problematic for us today, because very soon, in a few months, we are waiting for the conclusion of the European Commission regarding our candidacy application.The problematic issues outlined in this report, be it political polarization, problems for the media, political persecution or the judiciary issues, will all be taken into account by the European Commission in its decision to grant us candidate country status,” Kapanadze said. 

Georgia and Moldova applied for EU membership after Ukraine, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.