“The situation continues to deteriorate rapidly. Of course, I included the same quotation from the Commission in my notes because, better than they can, I cannot really say more about the situation in Georgia. The 2025 report is described as the worst ever prepared for a candidate country in the history of enlargement,” MEP Rasa Juknevičienė stated.

As the MEP stated during the meeting of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, in accordance with the European Council conclusions of December 19, 2024, the report clearly indicates that Georgia is now a candidate country in name only.

“The report makes it clear that Georgia is now a candidate country in name only. In our draft report, due to word limits, we deliberately focused more on new developments and avoided repeating what has already been stated in previous reports, which is deeply disappointing. We note that Georgian Dream has not only suspended but effectively reversed Georgia’s European path.

There has been regression on all nine priorities that were conditions for granting candidate status, while the government claims that EU integration remains a strategic goal. Senior officials and government-affiliated media are running a systematic anti-EU campaign built on disinformation and conspiracy narratives.

The report emphasises the importance of targeted sanctions against those responsible for democratic backsliding, electoral fraud, human rights violations, and the persecution of political opponents, including key officials. I am not surprised that Viktor Orbán has supported this pro-Russian government, but I deeply regret that larger member states failed to adopt sanctions earlier. That was a grave mistake,” the MEP has stated.

According to Rasa Juknevičienė, the European Union failed to act when it was important.

“The report warns that continued repression, attempts to ban opposition parties, and restrictions on civil society could ultimately lead to the suspension of visa-free travel, for which the ruling authorities would bear full responsibility.

Finally, I would like to thank Commissioner Marta Kos for her good cooperation and for her principled stance on Georgia and enlargement more broadly. I also want to thank the European Parliament for standing firmly with the Georgian people and for keeping Georgia high on its political agenda.

Let us also recall the Sakharov Prize nomination and remind everyone that the Sakharov Prize laureate Mzia Amaglobeli remains imprisoned. We will not stop fighting for her and others’ freedom,” Juknevičienė made this statement during a speech to the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, where she serves as the rapporteur on the current situation in Georgia.