Pawel Herczynski: Overall level of backsliding observed over last year in Georgia is unprecedented

“The overall level of backsliding observed over the last year in Georgia is unprecedented,” the European Union Ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, said at a press conference today following the publication of the 2025 EU Enlargement Report on Georgia.

According to the ambassador, the latest European Commission report contains devastating conclusions for Georgia’s European aspirations.

“Accession to the EU is a strategic and sovereign choice of each country. By applying for membership, each country makes a commitment to reform its institutions and legal system, aligning them progressively with EU norms and standards. Equally, each country accepts the annual scrutiny from the European Commission of their preparedness for accession.

The progress made by all candidate countries – including Georgia since 2023 – is assessed in the European Commission annual Enlargement Package. This package consisting of enlargement reports for ten candidate countries, including Georgia has been just published in Brussels.
The report represents a comprehensive and fact-based assessment of how far Georgia has advanced on the commitments that Georgia itself has undertaken when applying for EU membership.

Some of you may wonder why we produce a report on Georgia when the enlargement process has been de facto stopped when we have heard from Georgian authorities that they have no interest to open accession negotiations for the next four years. The reason is clear, enlargement is a merit-based and transformative process, and the annual report is an opportunity to take stock of where Georgia stands on its European path. It also confirms, once again, that the EU doors remain open for Georgia, provided necessary steps are taken by the Georgian authorities,” Herczynski said.

As the ambassador noted “Georgia is further away from EU membership today than in 2023.”
“For me as an EU Ambassador to Georgia to present this year’s report is not easy. The findings of the report are unfortunately devastating for Georgia’s European aspirations.

The truth is that Georgia is further away from EU membership today than it was in 2023, when it was granted candidate status.
The overall level of backsliding observed over the last year in Georgia is unprecedented – and here I quote HRVP Kallas and Commissioner Kos.

In the last 12 months, there was serious backsliding on the fundamentals of enlargement, as well as on the 9 steps set out in the Commission’s recommendation once Georgia was granted candidate status.

We have witnessed rapid erosion of the rule of law and severe restriction of fundamental rights.

Institutions have been instrumentalised for partisan objectives.

The independence and integrity of the judiciary system has been undermined by legal changes, creating risks of judicial capture.

Systematic repressive actions have damaged civic space and independence of media.

Excessive use of force has taken place in full impunity by the law enforcement authorities,” Herczynski declared.

He said that “hostile anti-EU rhetoric, disinformation and conspiracies, spread by Georgian authorities have been recurrent and designed to undermine EU-Georgia relations.”

“The imprisonment of leading opposition figures, coupled with the ruling party’s announcement to ban certain opposition parties, constitute a direct attack on one of the basic EU principles – democratic pluralism.

Today’s report also details that, since last year, Georgia’s progress on the technical parts of EU standards has slowed down significantly. Georgia used to be proud of being a front runner in the implementation of the Association Agreement. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case.

EU accession is and will remain to be a transformative process, dependent on the political will of each country’s leadership.
I invite everyone, to read this report – over 80 pages – carefully: you will find the true assessment of Georgia’s progress against the EU membership requirements.

While Georgian authorities have chosen to walk away from the EU, other candidate countries have advanced in their reforms and accession processes.

Unlike Georgia, they are now benefiting from gradual integration with the EU. Unfortunately, due to the trajectory chosen by the authorities, the Georgian people and businesses are missing out on funds for country’s modernization, zero roaming charges, lower banking costs and reduced customs checks among many many other benefits.

As you have just heard during the Press conference of HRVP Kaja Kallas and the Commissioner responsible for enlargement, Marta Kos, the Commission today considers Georgia not viable, candidate country on paper, candidate country in name only. It’s truly heartbreaking,” the ambassador stated.

He emphasized that the EU’s door remains open to Georgia if the government decides to change course and return to European values and principles.

The EU’s door remains open to Georgia, should the authorities choose to reverse course of action and realign with the values and principles upon which the EU is founded.

The Enlargement report clearly outlines the steps and reforms that Georgia needs to take to resume and to advance on its EU accession path. First and foremost, Georgia must demonstrate resolute commitment to reverse the serious backsliding on democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and make progress on the 9 steps.

For thirty years, we have stood side by side with Georgia, through good and bad. We have shared with you our prosperity, culture, technology, education and markets. We have done so because we believe in Georgia, just as the people of Georgia believe in the EU.

I sincerely hope that Georgian authorities will honor the promise made to the Georgian people who have always supported Georgia’s European path. From our side, the EU reaffirms our readiness to continue supporting Georgians on their path towards a European future.
While the EU will not compromise on our fundamental values and principles, we are also not losing hope on Georgia. The findings of this report should not be seen as an endpoint, but as a wake-up call and an invitation to renew commitment. The EU accession process is merit-based and entirely in the hands of Georgia itself,” Herczynski added.

The European Commission published its annual Enlargement Report today, assessing ten candidate countries, including Georgia.