The European Parliament has adopted critical resolutions on Georgia and Turkey over democratic backsliding

The European Parliament has officially warned Tbilisi and Ankara that the continued lack of domestic reforms and systematic deviations from democratic principles are hindering their prospects for European integration. MEPs adopted two separate resolutions in which they analyzed in detail the state of the rule of law and the protection of human rights in both candidate countries. 

In the report on Georgia, MEPs expressed deep regret over the ruling Georgian Dream party’s unwillingness to change its destructive political course. 

They now propose that cooperation between EU institutions and member states with the Georgian authorities be strictly contingent on Tbilisi taking concrete steps to reverse its “democratic regression” and put an end to aggressive, Russian-style anti-European disinformation. Separately, the document reaffirms the unwavering position of European lawmakers regarding their refusal to recognize the legitimacy of Georgia’s current parliament and the president appointed by it.

At the same time, the resolution on Turkey emphasizes that Ankara is rapidly losing its historic “window of opportunity” in the EU enlargement process. Parliament called on the Turkish government to immediately address chronic shortcomings in the areas of freedom of speech, press freedom, and fundamental human rights, as well as to cease violations of the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus. Despite harsh criticism of Turkey’s domestic policies, MEPs nevertheless recognized Turkey as an important geopolitical ally within NATO and a strategic partner for the European community.