The European Union has effectively halted Georgia’s accession process, according to the 2025 Enlargement Policy Communication released by the European Commission on 4 November. The report provides a stark assessment of Georgia’s political path, concluding that recent government actions have strained EU–Georgia relations and diverted the country from its European ambitions.
Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023, on the condition that it implement nine key reforms outlined by the European Commission. These reforms targeted areas such as judicial independence, media freedom, electoral integrity, anti-corruption measures, and protection of civil liberties. While the EU initially praised Georgia’s commitment to a European trajectory, the 2025 report signals deep disappointment with the pace and quality of reform.
According to the report, developments since December 2023 led the European Council, in June and October 2024, to conclude that the Georgian government’s actions had undermined its European trajectory, putting the accession process on hold.
“In December 2024, the European Council regretted the Georgian government’s decision to suspend the country’s EU accession process until 2028,” the report states. “Unless Georgia reverts to its EU path and demonstrates tangible efforts to address key reforms, the Commission will not be in a position to recommend opening accession negotiations.”
The report paints a bleak picture of recent political developments. It cites irregularities during the 26 October 2024 parliamentary elections, alongside measures targeting protesters, civil society, independent media, and opposition parties, all contributing to a deep political crisis. According to the Commission, the government’s November 2024 decision to halt accession talks marked a significant break from the pro-European policies of previous administrations, and undermined the constitutional commitment to EU integration—a commitment historically supported by a large majority of Georgian citizens.
The report also raises serious concerns about human rights, democratic backsliding, and anti-EU rhetoric, likening some patterns to Russian-style disinformation campaigns. These developments prompted the Council of the European Union in January 2025 to end visa exemptions and facilitation measures for Georgian diplomats—a symbolic step reflecting the country’s diminished standing in EU relations.
The Commission warns that Georgia’s European path is one of the most worrying since independence. It stresses that continued democratic regression could result in long-term isolation from the European integration process.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry strongly criticized the report as biased, noting that it overlooked incidents during the October 4 municipal elections, including what the government describes as “attacks on state institutions and violence by protesters.”
“It is regrettable that the Commission’s report is biased regarding Georgia when assessing a range of events. However, it is not surprising given the persistent silence of EU institutions toward the events that took place in Tbilisi during the municipal elections,” the ministry said.
The ministry also expressed frustration that the EU refused to engage in official dialogue under the Association Agreement, and declined to assess Georgia’s Economic Reform Program, despite measurable improvements in governance, economic performance, and anti-corruption efforts. The ministry emphasized that Georgia remains committed to constructive cooperation based on shared values and principles and that EU accession should not be wielded as a political instrument.
The European Commission report identifies multiple areas of democratic backsliding since the October 2024 elections, including the arrest of opposition leaders, pressure on civil society, attacks on journalists, and the abolition of the Special Investigation Service, which had investigated abuses by law enforcement.
The report also singles out the controversial Law on Foreign Agents, calling it incompatible with democratic norms.
While the EU acknowledges that Georgia continues to experience economic growth, it warns that political instability and institutional uncertainty are weakening investor confidence and threatening labor market stability. The report concludes that Georgia has yet to meet any of the nine main priorities required to begin formal accession negotiations.
“Georgia’s democratic deterioration has accelerated, with serious erosion of the rule of law and restrictions on fundamental rights,” the report states.
The Commission stresses the urgent need for Georgia to restore political dialogue, ensure cross-party cooperation, and protect civic space. Authorities are called on to make “comprehensive and tangible efforts to address outstanding concerns and key reforms with cross-party support and effective civic participation in line with the nine steps set out for candidate status, in full respect of the EU values and principles upon which the European Union is founded.”
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos reinforced the report’s conclusions during a European Parliament hearing, stating:
“In Georgia, the situation has sharply deteriorated, with serious democratic backsliding. Probably never, ever before, has an enlargement report spoken so much about backsliding. We saw a rapid erosion of the rule of law and severe restrictions on fundamental rights. Georgian authorities need to urgently reverse their course. Georgian citizens demand a European future, and they have our support. For the Commission, the candidate status for Georgia exists only on paper.”
The 2025 report stands as one of the most critical assessments of Georgia’s democratic performance to date, warning that without structural reforms and renewed engagement with civil society and opposition groups, Georgia risks further isolation from the European integration process it has long sought.
It has drawn sharp reactions from Georgian officials, with Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze condemning it as unfair and politically motivated. Speaking to journalists in Shanghai, he described the document as reflecting a “tragic situation” within the European Union and argued that it contains numerous “distorted facts.”
“There is one great injustice reflected in this document. It presents many specific distorted facts, but beyond that, it reflects the tragic situation that has developed in the European bureaucracy. As a result of this loss of sovereignty, the EU’s share of the global economy, once 30%, has now fallen to 17.5% and it continues to decline year by year,” Kobakhidze said.
He also warned that the EU’s decline extends beyond economics, affecting democracy and human rights, and called for a reversal of what he called the “regression the European space is experiencing.”
“We want to become a member of a revitalized EU, not the EU we see today,” he said.
Kakha Kaladze, Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party, framed the EU report as evidence of European frustration with Georgia’s political independence. Speaking to journalists, he said: “When the ‘Deep State’ is defeated, it will affect us—every citizen will feel it. As for the European bureaucracy and the West, all their statements are full of lies! They are bitter that the Georgian people defeated them in Georgia.”
Kaladze stressed that strategic partnerships should be reciprocal, not just financial or political interventions from foreign powers: “No Russian, American, or European will come to Georgia to do Georgian work. They pursue their own interests. We are in power to protect our country. We defend Georgia and want healthy, strategic partnerships—not partnerships where we are friends and they fund violent groups.”
Kaladze’s remarks reflect a wider wariness within Georgia’s leadership toward Western institutions, showing a strong desire for partnerships that are fair, respectful, and truly take Georgia’s independence and priorities into account.
The EU in its turn emphasized that it does not take sides in Georgia’s internal politics. EU Ambassador Paweł Herczynski told journalists in Tbilisi: “As the EU Ambassador in Georgia, I try to have contacts with everyone. The European Union does not support any political party in Georgia or anywhere else. It is for the Georgian people to decide who governs their country.”
As Georgia faces these tensions, the future of its European ambitions remains uncertain. Analysts note that the EU’s concerns are unlikely to ease without meaningful political reforms, strengthened rule of law, and renewed dialogue between the government, opposition, and civil society. Meanwhile, Georgia’s leadership continues to assert its independence, signaling that the journey toward EU membership will remain challenging and closely watched in the months ahead.
By Team GT
