Pawel Herczynski: “The Process of Georgia’s Accession to the EU has Come to a Halt for the Time Being.”

Georgia’s aspirations for European Union membership have faced significant setbacks as the EU and the United States reassess their cooperation with the country, Pawel Herczynski warns.

The European Union has frozen €30 million in aid, while the United States has cancelled planned military exercises. These actions follow a period of optimism when Georgia was granted official candidate status for EU membership, marking the initial step towards potential integration.

However, seven months later, the momentum towards EU accession has halted. On July 9th, Pawel Herczynski, the European Union ambassador to Georgia, announced, “Unfortunately, the process of Georgia’s accession to the EU has come to a halt for the time being.”

This decision stems from the recent European Council meeting in Brussels, held on June 27 and 28th, in response to Georgia’s adoption of a controversial “foreign influence” law in June.

This law, modeled after a 2012 Russian regulation, aims to suppress independent media and civil society, marking a significant geopolitical shift for Georgia.

Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union, Georgia has traditionally aligned itself with European interests.

However, the adoption of this law signals a pivot towards Russia, despite the historical enmity between the two nations. The legislation has sparked widespread domestic opposition, with tens of thousands of Georgians protesting for weeks in an attempt to prevent its implementation.

Despite these demonstrations and warnings from both Brussels and Washington, the law was enacted.

EU member states have expressed strong disapproval of Georgia’s recent actions, denouncing the country’s “backsliding,” which they claim has effectively halted the accession process.

In their conclusions, EU leaders urged Georgian authorities to reconsider their current trajectory, warning that it jeopardizes the country’s EU prospects. They called on the Georgian government to “clarify their intentions by reversing the current course of action.”

The halt in Georgia’s EU accession process reflects broader concerns about the country’s democratic trajectory and its alignment with Western values. The EU and the US have emphasised the importance of democratic principles and the rule of law, both of which they believe are undermined by the new foreign influence law.

The law’s critics argue that it curtails freedom of speech and weakens civil society, key components of a democratic society.

Brussels’ and Washington’s decisions to withhold aid and cancel military cooperation highlight the seriousness of their concerns.

The frozen €30 million in aid was intended to support various development projects within Georgia, while the canceled military exercises were a part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Georgia’s defence capabilities in the face of regional threats. These measures indicate a significant cooling of relations between Georgia and its Western allies.

The geopolitical implications of Georgia’s shift towards Russia are substantial. Historically, Georgia has sought to distance itself from Russian influence, particularly following the 2008 Russo-Georgian War.

Aligning more closely with Russia could alter the balance of power in the region and impact Georgia’s internal political dynamics.

Georgia’s path to EU membership has encountered major obstacles due to the controversial foreign influence law and the resulting geopolitical shift towards Russia.

The EU and US responses, including the freezing of aid and the cancellation of military exercises, underscore the gravity of the situation.

EU leaders have called on Georgia to reconsider its current course of action, emphasizing the importance of democratic values and the rule of law as essential criteria for EU membership.

The future of Georgia’s EU aspirations now hinges on its willingness to address these concerns and realign with Western democratic standards.

Pawel Herczynski was nominated in June 2022 by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell as Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, according to the EU External Action Service.

Prior to taking up the new role he was EEAS Managing Director for CSDP and Crisis Response and also served as Director for Security and Defense Policy in the EEAS.

Prior to that he served as Ambassador of Poland to the Political and Security Committee (PSC).