Marta Kos: Georgia’s EU candidate status exists only on paper; we wish to re-engage, but Tbilisi must act

Georgia’s EU candidate status exists only on paper. And while Brussels remains eager to re-engage with the Georgian authorities, the Georgian government must take the necessary steps first, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

According to Commissioner Kos, the Georgian government is moving backwards rather than forwards due to a series of recently enacted laws.

“Georgia’s candidate status is only on paper. We would very much love to be engaged again with the Georgian authorities, but they have to move,” Kos said.

“As long as they are not moving forward, they are going backwards with many of the laws they have adopted. So as long as they are not moving towards European values, we are not engaging. But there is a very important message to the people of Georgia: even if we are not engaging with the authorities, we are engaging with civil society, and we are supportive of the people. There are many areas where we are helping, and we will continue to do so in the future. It would be great if Georgia were not only a candidate on paper, but it takes two sides to make that happen.”