Georgia backs out of EU law talks, raises tension with west
The Council of Europe announced that Georgia has withdrawn from the working group on the foreign agents law. This decision may impact relations with the EU.
The Council of Europe reported that the Georgian government has withdrawn from participating in the working group focused on amending the "foreign influence" law. This decision followed a phone conversation between the Council of Europe's Secretary General, Alain Berset, and the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze.
The phone conversation took place on February 3, 2025. The Prime Minister of Georgia explained that "since circumstances have changed," his government does not plan to participate in working on or amending the law. However, Kobakhidze assured that Georgia still intends to cooperate with the Council of Europe within the framework of intergovernmental cooperation.
A rift in relations
The Council of Europe expressed "great regret" over Georgia's decision and announced an assessment of its impact. Nonetheless, the organization assured that it would continue dialogue with the authorities in Tbilisi. The adoption of the law has triggered a crisis in Georgia's relations with the West.
The "transparency of foreign influence" law was enacted in Georgia in 2024 and requires foreign-funded organizations to register as "entities pursuing the interests of foreign powers."
According to critics, the law enables authorities to undermine civil society and introduce an authoritarian model of governance akin to the Russian style, potentially blocking Georgia's path to the EU. The adoption of this law has caused an unprecedented crisis in Tbilisi's relations with the West. Georgian authorities argue that it is about "transparency and defending sovereignty."
