Georgia and Türkiye: No EU accession progress without reforms

Georgia

With serious continued democratic backsliding in Georgia, MEPs regret that the ruling Georgian Deam party has not taken any steps to reverse the negative trends. The report highlights that EU and member states’ engagement with the Georgian authorities should be strictly conditional on their taking tangible and verifiable steps to reverse the course of democratic regression, restrictions and fierce Russian-style anti-EU-disinformation. The resolution, adopted on Wednesday by 436 votes in favour and 145 against, with 47 abstentions, expresses full solidarity with the Georgian people, who continue their struggle for a European and democratic Georgia in the face of democratic backsliding. The report maintains, however, Parliament’s previous position regarding non-recognition of the legitimacy of Georgia’s parliament and the president appointed by it.

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“The Georgian Dream regime continues to dismantle democratic institutions, silence independent media and hold one of the highest numbers of political prisoners in the region, including Sakharov prize laureate Mzia Amaglobeli. This is unacceptable for an EU candidate country. We must now move towards imposing coordinated EU-wide sanctions against those responsible for repression and state capture.”, said the rapporteur Rasa Juknevičienė (EPP, Lithuania).

Türkiye

Although EU enlargement policy is currently regaining momentum, Türkiye is missing this window of opportunity due to a lack of democratic reforms, MEPs conclude in the resolution adopted on Wednesday by 381 votes in favour and 107 against, with 171 abstentions.

Despite the Turkish government’s repeated statements reaffirming its commitment to EU membership, key shortcomings affecting the accession process remain unaddressed, the report says. MEPs call on the Turkish government to tackle persistent deficiencies in the areas of the rule of law, human rights, democratic standards, freedom of the press and other fundamental freedoms, as well as to respect good neighbourly relations and international law. The Parliament deplores the fact that Türkiye continues to violate the sovereign rights of EU member states, such as Greece and Cyprus. The report also criticises the limited response of other EU institutions and many member states to these developments, urging them to take a stronger stance in defence of democratic standards and the rule of law in Türkiye.

Although the accession process has been at a standstill since 2018, Türkiye remains a country of strategic and geopolitical importance and a NATO ally, says the report.

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The rapporteur Sancho Nachez Amor (S&D, Spain) said: “Türkiye continues to move rapidly towards a fully authoritarian model. The recent case targeting the main opposition party, CHP, and its legitimate leadership is the latest example of a broader erosion of democratic pluralism and the rule of law, highlighting the role of a judiciary which is weaponized for political purposes. In the face of such a grave situation, we are deeply concerned by the muted response of the Commission, the EEAS and the Member States, which continue to turn a blind eye to the ongoing dismantling of democracy in Türkiye. This silence undermines the EU’s image and credibility and further alienates the most pro-European and pro-democratic segments of Turkish society, with consequences that may take years to reverse.”