European Parliament calls for funding of Georgia be suspended

BRUSSELS. Oct 9 (Interfax) - The European Parliament has passed a resolution saying that "democratic backsliding" in Georgia suspends its integration in the European Union and demanding that Europe's funding of Georgia be stopped.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) passed the resolution with 495 votes in favor, 73 against, with 86 abstained.

Although Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023 "the ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed an increasingly authoritarian agenda," a statement on the European Parliament's website said.

According to the resolution, new Georgian laws together with changes in the country's electoral laws and growing anti-European rhetoric "violate freedom of expression, censor media, impose restrictions on critical voices in civil society and the NGO sector or to discriminate against vulnerable people."

There can be no progress in EU-Georgia relations if such laws are not repealed, the resolution said.

The European Parliament calls for "a thorough investigation of police brutality against peaceful protestors" in spring 2024. MEPs are also concerned about "the climate of hatred and intimidation fueled by statements by Georgian government representatives and political leaders, as well as by the government's attacks on political pluralism," the resolution said.

The European Parliament "calls for all EU funding provided to the Georgian government to be frozen until the abovementioned undemocratic laws are repealed." The resolution also said that any future funding can be provided to the Georgian government only if strict conditions for EU candidate stated are met.