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bne May 2023 Eurasia I 65
Top EU official says 'real divergence' between
Georgian rhetoric and reality on accession
Robert Anderson in Prague
There is a “real divergence” between the Georgian government’s statements and the concrete steps it has taken to meet the European Union’s milestones for candidate status, Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, told a webinar by think- tank the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) on March 29.
Last June Georgia was denied candidate status – while Ukraine and Moldova progressed in the accession process – because of the ruling Georgian Dream government’s erosion of democratic norms. The country was given 12 milestones to achieve before it could become a candidate.
These milestones included: reducing political polarisation; strengthening anti-corruption institutions and
the fight against organised crime; implementation of “de-oligarchisation” by eliminating the excessive influence of vested interests; guaranteeing a free media; strengthening civil society; and undertaking a judicial reform strategy
“A number of steps have been carried out,” Mathernova insisted. “The picture is really mixed.”
She said that for one third of the steps progress had been very good, one third had been good, but for the remaining third much more progress was needed.
On the most controversial step, the so-called de-oligarchisation law, she said when the government publishes its amended proposals the EU would be “very clear” on whether they actually will work.
The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe gave its opinion on the government’s initial proposals in March, recommending that it take a systematic rather than a “personal” approach.
Georgian Dream legislators have insisted that their billionaire founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, would not be covered by the legislation. Opposition politicians fear that the government would use the bill to target the businessmen that support them.
“I hope that the [Venice Commission] recommendations will be taken aboard and followed,” Mathernova said.
Symbolic value
She also pointed out that Georgia would still be part of the EU enlargement discussions this autumn and that the award of candidate status had more “symbolic value”.
Nevertheless, it was one step out of “more than 100” for which the European Union member states would have to agree unanimously for Georgia to
be able to proceed towards eventual membership.
Mathernova indicated that Georgia needed to shed its sense of “entitlement” and knuckle down to do the hard work to pass the milestones.
“Georgia has become used to ‘positive reinforcement’,” Mathernova commented. “Suddenly [in June] this was the first time the EU signalled its displeasure.”
She added, “the notion, ‘oh we deserve it’, is not very helpful”.
The Georgian government has reacted to the EU’s slap in the face by, in domestic politics, claiming that it didn’t happen, while internationally it has continued to complain that it is much better prepared for membership than either Ukraine or Moldova, which were granted candidate status.
While professing its determination to fulfil the milestones and be granted candidate status by the end of the year, the Georgian Dream government has attracted terrible international publicity in recent months for its democratic backsliding.
The government tried to push through a Russian-style “foreign agents law” targeting NGOs and media that receive foreign funding. The EU has warned
After days of violent protests, the government early this month backed down on the foreign agents law, although the Georgian Dream Party has not excluded supporting some similar proposal later. / bne IntelliNews
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