The gap between the EU and candidate country Georgia is widening. Georgian Prime Minister Iraqi Kobachidze said there would be no accession negotiations until the end of 2028. Budget subsidies would also not be accepted during this period.
Brussels’ demands for accession negotiations are blackmail that Georgia does not want to expose itself to, Kobachidze said. Ultimately, integration is a mutual act and not a gentle gift. The European Parliament had previously called in a resolution not to recognize the results of the parliamentary elections at the end of October with the officially declared victory of the Georgian Dream party. This is now the ruling party.
Membership until 2030?
Nevertheless, the goal is to achieve EU membership by 2030, according to the new government leader. In any case, the European Union must respect “our national interests and traditional values”. In the past, Kobachidze had accused governments of European countries and the White House of trying to draw Georgia into the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The country has been an official candidate for EU membership since December 2023. Since then, the government has passed several laws that have caused concern among politicians in Brussels. These include a law banning “foreign influence,” based on the Russian model, and another discriminating against sexual minorities. The accession process was therefore frozen at the end of June.
The Georgian opposition accuses the government of wanting to remove the country from the EU and bring the former Soviet republic closer to Russia. Moreover, the election victory was achieved only through manipulation.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
