BRUSSELS — The European Union has issued a sharp rebuke of Georgia’s recent adoption of the Foreign Agents Registration Act , calling it a “serious setback for the country’s democracy” and warning that Tbilisi’s European aspirations are now in jeopardy.
In a joint statement released today, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Equality Marta Kos condemned the legislation, which mirrors similar repressive laws in Russia and other authoritarian regimes.
“Georgia’s Foreign Agents Registration Act marks a serious setback for the country’s democracy,” the statement read. “Alongside recent laws on broadcasting and grants, it represents another aggressive action by the Georgian authorities to suppress dissent, restrict freedoms, and further shrink the space for activists, civil society, and independent media.”
The law, which requires non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving foreign funding to register as “foreign agents,” has drawn widespread criticism from international human rights groups, local activists, and diplomatic missions in Georgia.
The European Council had previously expressed concern over Georgia’s democratic backsliding in its June and October 2024 conclusions , noting that such actions jeopardized the country’s path toward European Union membership. Since then, the EU said, accession talks have effectively been put on hold.
“The accession process has been de facto halted,” the EU reiterated in today’s statement. “The EU reiterates its call on the Georgian authorities to heed their citizens’ clear demands for democracy and a European future.”
The statement also urged the release of all unjustly detained journalists, activists, protesters, and political leaders who have faced increasing pressure under the current administration.
The EU made clear that the responsibility for reversing this democratic decline rests solely with the Georgian government.
“The EU is ready to consider the return of Georgia to the EU accession path if the authorities take credible steps to reverse democratic backsliding,” Kallas and Kos stated.
The joint message underscores the bloc’s deepening frustration with Georgia’s trajectory at a time when many of its citizens continue to express strong support for integration with Europe.
As the EU stands firm on its conditionality, the question remains whether Georgia’s leadership will respond to domestic and international calls for reform—or continue down a path that risks isolating the country both politically and economically.
Joint Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Marta Kos on Georgia’s Foreign Agents Registration Act
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