Germany’s Foreign Minister Calls for Suspension of Georgia’s EU Accession Process
Germany’s Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has proposed discussions on formally suspending Georgia’s European Union membership process. Baerbock’s proposal stems from concerns over the Georgian government’s anti-European stance and the violent crackdown on pro-European protesters, according to Schengen.News.
Baerbock stated in an interview with Deutschland that the ruling party in Georgia, Georgian Dream, had effectively put the EU accession process on hold by shifting its position away from Europe. She noted that the awarding of EU candidate status in December 2023 was based on a commitment to reforms, but instead of advancing, Georgia appears to be moving backwards. As a result, Germany’s Federal Foreign Office has reduced its cooperation with Georgia, halting support projects valued at €200 million.
EU Commission Suggests Suspension of Visa-Free Travel Agreement with Georgia
The protests in Georgia, which have lasted for nearly a month, began after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would suspend EU membership talks until 2028.
Earlier this month, the European Commission proposed a partial suspension of the EU-Georgia visa-free travel agreement. If approved by the European Council, Georgian diplomats, officials, and their families would need to apply for visas to travel to EU countries for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
However, the European Commission clarified that this change would not affect people-to-people exchanges, as Georgian nationals holding ordinary passports would still be exempt from visa requirements for short-term stays in EU countries. If the proposal is approved, it would require EU member states to implement visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, service/official, and special passports issued by Georgia.
