Nordic, Baltic states release statement on controversial Georgian bill on transparency of foreign influence

The Foreign Ministry of Sweden on Friday released a joint statement by Nordic and Baltic countries on “recent developments” in Georgia, which said the bill on transparency of foreign influence, currently under consideration in the country’s Parliament, was “incompatible with European norms and values”.

If adopted, the law could be used to silence media and civil society organisations that play a vital role in helping Georgia on its way to EU membership. The claims by Georgian authorities that the proposal resembles EU draft legislation are unfounded and misleading. We urge Georgia’s political leaders to reconsider adoption of the draft law”, the statement said.

It also pointed out the Nordic and Baltic countries had supported the democratic and economic development of Georgia since its restoration of independence in the 1990s, and noted the European Union had showed its support for “aspirations of the Georgian people” by granting the country its membership candidate status last year. 

Georgia was given a clear path to start accession negotiations and later on join the European Union. However, recently the Georgian authorities have chosen a concerning trajectory disrupting Georgia’s European Future”, the statement said. 

The decision to pursue EU membership is the sovereign choice of Georgia and its people. It is the responsibility of the Georgian authorities to fulfil the preconditions if it wishes to join the European Union. The anti-Western rhetoric of Georgian authorities seriously risk undermining Georgia’s European choice”, it added.

The EU candidate status was granted to Georgia on the understanding that 9 steps would be fulfilled. At this point, Georgian authorities have not made overall progress in fulfilling those steps”, the release also said in reference to the list priorities to be met for the EU to open accession talks with the country.

The foreign ministries expressed a “strong wish to see Georgia succeed” on its European and Euro-Atlantic path “as desired by a large majority” of country’s citizens, and said they hoped the Georgian Government would use the “historical window of opportunity created by a reinvigorated” EU enlargement process and “revert to the course towards” EU membership.