Josep Borrell Urges Georgian Political Leaders Not to Derail the Country from its European Path
By Liza Mchedlidze
Friday, April 26, 2024
Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, called on political leaders in Georgia to withdraw the "foreign agents" draft law and to refrain from diverting the country from its European path.
He emphasized that thousands of Georgian citizens have been peacefully demonstrating in recent weeks, demanding the withdrawal of the law on transparency of foreign influence. Borrell reminded that the ruling party and the government had previously promised Georgian citizens that such legislation would not return and urged Georgian political leaders to withdraw the draft law, stating that it goes against EU norms and values.
"Over the past weeks, thousands of citizens of Georgia have taken to the streets to exercise their right to peaceful demonstration, demanding once again that authorities withdraw the law on transparency of foreign influence.
We have seen impressive scenes from Georgia last year already. Citizens of all ages holding Georgian and European flags showing their strong attachment to democracy, to our shared European values and to Georgia's path towards the European Union. At the time, the ruling party and the government made a public pledge to the Georgian citizens that such legislation would never come back.
I urge the political leaders of Georgia to withdraw the draft law. As it was the case last year, it is clear that this legislation is incompatible with the EU norms and values. If adopted, it would jeopardise Georgia's progress on the EU path.
Georgians have a future in the European Union. The candidate status that was granted last December has brought our relations closer than ever before. Our door is open, so I urge the Georgian leaders to mirror the expectations of the citizens and not derail the country from the EU path," Borrell said.
