EU Official: Georgian people remain committed to EU but Gov’t policies pose real issues

The European Commission’s Director-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Gert Jan Koopman, has voiced concerns over Georgia’s political direction, emphasizing that while the Georgian people remain dedicated to European values, the government’s policies are creating significant problems.

“We have not abandoned the Georgian people—quite the opposite. But we do have a real issue with the government’s policy course,” Koopman stated.

He further noted that the European Council has concluded that Georgia’s EU membership process is effectively stalled.

“First of all, we were all proud when the country became a candidate last year, but it’s clear that with the ‘foreign agents law’ and several other developments, Georgia has distanced itself from the EU. When I say the country has moved away from the EU, I must clarify that the Georgian people have not. Support for the EU and European values remains between 80% and 90%. The real issue lies with the government’s policies, which contradict European values,” Koopman explained.

He also highlighted the lack of progress on the “nine steps” Georgia was required to complete for further integration, leading the European Council to conclude that the process of Georgia’s accession to the EU is on hold.