Josep Borrell, Vice-President of European Commission and High Representative for the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the EU Foreign Affairs Council, stated that recent actions of Georgia’s ruling parties “signal an authoritarian shift”, on October 14, at a press conference held after the EU Foreign Affairs Council. He said that the Council discussed Georgia, and Moldova – two countries that are facing elections in a few weeks.
“The recent actions, statements, and electoral promises of the ruling [Georgian Dream] Party take the country off the European path and indicate a shift to authoritarianism. The European Union accession is therefore de-facto suspended,” said Borrell. He added: “You are aware of the decision taken by [the European] Commission in terms of access to European financing.” Let’s wait until the upcoming Parliamentary elections, which will be an important test for Georgia‘s democracy and its European Union journey.
He also said that “Georgia presents a darker picture” than Moldova, a fellow EU candidate that is awaiting crucial elections in this month. “Moldova has made significant progress in its path to the European Union despite increased Russian intimidation. We can see that Russia is doing everything possible to undermine the electoral process, including hybrid attacks and widespread vote buying. We applaud the resilience of the Moldovan Government in the face of these unprecedented obstacles, and we will continue our support,” he stressed.
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