Gov’t reveals deoligarchisation action plan “in line” with Venice Commission opinion, EU candidacy status requirements

The Georgian Government on Monday announced it would develop an action plan to address the task of deoligarchisation in the country “in accordance with the Venice Commission opinion and the requirements of the European Union”, ahead of the bloc’s decision whether to grant Georgia its membership candidate status later this year. 

Deoligarchisation is one of 12 conditions outlined by the European Commission last year for granting Georgia the status, with the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe recommending the country in June to ensure a “systemic” instead of “individual” approach to the issue in comments on a draft legislation prepared by domestic lawmakers. 

• Ruling party head: deoligarchisation bill will not be approved until December

The 67th session of the EU Integration Commission of Georgia, held under the leadership of Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, discussed the deoligarchisation topic on Monday and stressed developing the action plan would be an “important step” for “further refining” the country’s fulfilment of the conditions for EU candidacy before the European Commission presents its report on the process of implementation of the recommendations in October, the Government press office said. 

The Commission also discussed Georgia’s EU integration, implementation of the bloc’s other conditions and the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, along with a six-month report on Georgia’s fulfilment of the EU integration agenda drafted by state agencies, the press office added. 

The meeting highlighted Georgia’s “significant progress” on its EU path, which the Commission said would be presented to European officials “in the near future”. 

Georgia officially applied for EU membership in March 2022 and was granted a European perspective and a reform agenda in June of that year for obtaining the candidate status. 

The European Council has been scheduled to decide on Georgia’s status in December, based on the recommendations of the European Commission that will come in October and assess the country’s implementation of the 12-point conditions.