Georgia PM reaffirms EU bid but warns of bloc’s “fundamental challenges”
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has reaffirmed his country’s ambition to become a full member of the European Union, while warning that his government is “very concerned about fundamental problems” within the bloc.
“We want to become a full member of the European Union. We share a similar goal with North Macedonia, but we also see that the European Union itself is facing serious and fundamental challenges,” Kobakhidze said during a panel discussion at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Friday, News.Az reports, citing Georgian media.
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“For many years, the EU had certain strengths — a strong identity, a high level of prosperity, as well as strength in terms of democracy and the rule of law. Today, however, the European Union is facing challenges in all three of these areas. This is very concerning for us, and we hope the situation will change in the future,” he added.
The remarks come against the backdrop of a strained relationship between Tbilisi and Brussels. The European Commission said last November that Georgia’s accession process had been effectively put on hold amid what it described as a “backsliding on democratic principles”, leaving the country as a formal candidate only.
The Georgian government has also postponed opening accession talks until at least 2028, describing EU reform requirements and foreign policy alignment demands as “blackmail”, while still maintaining its stated goal of joining the bloc by 2030.
The comments also come amid sharp reactions from Moscow. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned a day earlier that EU membership for Georgia would lead to the country being added to Russia’s list of “unfriendly states”, with possible retaliatory economic measures, including restrictions on air travel and visa regimes.
Zakharova also accused the EU of exerting pressure on Georgia, pursuing sanctions policy, and attempting to impose “alien values”, saying Brussels was effectively “pushing the country towards the edge”.
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