Georgia’s FM says opening accession negotiations is EU’s prerogative; blaming Georgia for halt is absurd

The European Union holds all the instruments relating to EU enlargement and Georgia’s accession to the European Union. It is absurd to blame Georgia for suspending the accession process, Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maka Botchorishvili, has stated.

Minister Botchorishvili commented on the letter from the EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński.

“Opening accession negotiations with Georgia is the prerogative of the European Union and not of Georgia. Consequently, it is absurd to blame Georgia for suspending the European Union accession process. The European Union holds all the instruments relating to EU enlargement and Georgia’s accession to the European Union. Regarding the programmes themselves, we have repeatedly heard that the EU has decided that one of the mechanisms of punishment could be to suspend certain programmes with Georgia. This decision was made quite some time ago; however, to keep the issue alive and bring it back onto the political agenda, we see that it is periodically revisited, with gradual announcements regarding the suspension of specific programmes. This situation is deeply disappointing for us. It is not what Georgia or the Georgian government aspires to. This is a reality which, as explained in the letter itself, is based on the European Council’s decision of June 2024,” Maka Botchorishvili stated.

For context, Rustavi 2 TV channel has broadcast a letter from the EU Ambassador, Paweł Herczyński, which, according to the television company’s information, confirms that the European Union had itself decided to suspend Georgia’s accession process as early as June 27, 2024; five months before Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s statement.