Georgia postpones EU membership bid until 2028
3 min read
Riot police and Pro-EU protesters clash in Georgia.
Georgia has announced a delay in its bid to join the European Union (EU), following the European Parliament’s decision to reject the results of the country’s recent parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the EU of “blackmail,” revealing that his government would halt its EU membership pursuit until 2028. The decision comes after European legislators demanded that last month’s elections be re-run, citing “significant irregularities” that marred the voting process.
The protests in Georgia intensified after Kobakhidze’s announcement, with thousands of citizens gathering outside the parliament building in the capital, Tbilisi. Protesters blocked traffic, waved EU flags, and voiced their opposition to the government. Georgia has been governed by the Georgian Dream party since 2012, a party that critics argue has increasingly aligned itself with Russia, distancing the country from its pro-European stance. Despite this, the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in the recent elections, while opposition parties boycotted the parliament, alleging widespread electoral fraud. President Salome Zurabishvili also called the vote “unconstitutional.”
On Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution condemning the election, describing it as part of a “worsening democratic crisis” in Georgia. The resolution pointed to allegations of vote-buying, voter intimidation, and harassment of election observers. It placed the blame squarely on the ruling Georgian Dream party, holding it “fully responsible” for the electoral irregularities.
In response to the EU’s condemnation, Kobakhidze announced that his government would not push forward with any EU membership efforts until at least the end of 2028. He emphasized that Georgia would continue implementing the necessary reforms for EU accession and still aimed to join by 2030. However, he also stressed the importance of the EU respecting Georgia’s “national interests and traditional values.”
Georgia was granted official EU candidate status in 2023, though its accession process had already been halted earlier this year due to the controversial introduction of a law similar to Russia’s, which targeted organizations accused of “pursuing the interests of a foreign power.” This development has further strained relations between Georgia and the EU, as well as heightened concerns about the country’s direction under Georgian Dream’s leadership.
Former Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili expressed his concerns about the direction the country is heading, describing the current situation as an “unprecedented” turning point in Georgia’s history. He noted that, since Georgia gained independence 30 years ago, there has been a unified pro-Western stance among all Georgian governments, with a clear commitment to the EU and NATO. However, Margvelashvili claimed that recent developments point to a shift in policy, suggesting a coordinated effort between Tbilisi’s leaders and the Kremlin to align Georgia more closely with Russia.
The tensions in the streets of Tbilisi escalated as protests continued into the night, with riot police clashing with demonstrators. Protesters set up barricades, while authorities responded with pepper spray and water cannons. “Georgian Dream didn’t win the elections. It staged a coup,” said 20-year-old protester Shota Sabashvili. He added, “There is no legitimate parliament or government in Georgia. We will not let this self-proclaimed prime minister destroy our European future.”
Ana, a student participating in the protest, voiced the sentiment of many Georgians, saying that Georgian Dream’s actions were “going against Georgian people’s will” and threatening to drag the country back into the influence of Russia. “That will never happen because Georgian people will never let this happen,” she said.
The delay in Georgia’s EU membership bid marks a significant moment in the country’s modern history. As protests continue to unfold, the future of Georgia’s relationship with both the EU and Russia remains uncertain. Many citizens are left grappling with the question of whether their country will continue its pro-Western trajectory or succumb to external pressures to align itself with Russia’s orbit.
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