Don’t start Georgia accession talks as long as it is a Russian puppet

The EU accession negotiations with Georgia should not be opened if the 'foreign agents' law is adopted, says a European Parliament Resolution to be voted on today. The law, currently being debated in the Georgian Parliament, would impose restrictions on civil society and undermine the ability of independent media to operate freely.

“The law violates the European Commission’s recommendations on Georgia’s candidate status, is incompatible with EU values and democratic principles, and runs against the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of the Georgian people, closely mirroring Putin’s law. Instead of genuinely strengthening transparency and fighting against the malign influence of the Kremlin, the proposed law will undermine the freedom of civil society and the media,” stresses Miriam Lexmann MEP, who negotiated the text on behalf of the EPP Group. 

“Georgia needs de-Bidzinization laws, not Russian laws in a country which wants to join the EU," says Rasa Juknevičienė, the EPP Group Vice-Chair in charge of Foreign Affairs, referring to the Georgian oligarch and former Prime Minister with ties to Russia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, who also founded the ruling Georgian Dream party, which is attempting to reverse the country's pro-European path. “The Kremlin has become very active in the EU, but also in the EU’s close neighbourhood. We fully support those protesting against the foreign agents law, as it is this law that is leading the country towards Russia and away from the EU," Juknevičienė stresses