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The Georgian government’s plans to outlaw opposition parties if it wins October’s parliamentary election would destroy what’s left of the country’s democracy and force a tough response from the West, the EU has warned.
Speaking to POLITICO, Peter Stano, the bloc’s foreign affairs spokesperson, said that Brussels is “concerned” by the proposed “ban of all opposition parties” put forward by the ruling Georgian Dream government last week.
“Opposition parties, a vibrant civil society and independent media are essential for ensuring that governments are accountable and that democratic values are upheld,” Stano said, saying pluralism is “a central pillar of the EU accession process.”
Georgia’s hopes of joining the bloc have been dashed in recent months after Brussels effectively froze its membership application in response to a new Russian-style law that will brand Western-supported NGOs and media outlets as “foreign agents” and a heavy-handed crackdown on pro-democracy protests. The Commission handed the South Caucasus country candidate status late last year, despite warnings over backsliding on human rights.
On Friday, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze vowed to go further, threatening to officially dissolve the pro-Western factions in parliament following the elections planned for October. MPs elected on opposition platforms would be barred from taking up their seats, with Kobakhidze branding them “criminal political forces.” The move, he insisted, would not stand in the way of Georgia joining the EU.
“The current course of action jeopardizes Georgia’s EU path, de facto leading to a halt of the accession process,” said Stano in response. “The European Commission is closely observing the rhetoric and developments in Georgia, and is ready to react in an appropriate manner. All options are on the table and we would act accordingly if these statements are enacted.”
However, he added, the door to membership “remains open, should Georgia choose to realign with EU values and norms and reverse the negative tendencies of the last months.”
