EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said the bloc’s next steps with Georgia will depend on member states’ assessment and an enlargement report due later this month. Georgia’s ruling parliamentary majority replied that the country wants EU membership, but not at any cost.
Georgia formally remains a candidate for European Union membership, but its accession path has stalled in practice, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said. She said the bloc’s future engagement would depend on how member states assess Georgia’s prospects in an enlargement report expected at the end of October.
Kos said she would like Georgia, with strong public support for the European course, to be at the same level as Moldova and Ukraine. Her comments were made at a news conference and reported by Interfax.
Irakli Kirtskhalia, leader of the parliamentary majority in Georgia, responded that the country seeks EU membership but will not pursue it at any cost or at the expense of its interests. He called on the bloc to treat Georgia as an equal state rather than dictate terms from outside.
Relations between Tbilisi and Brussels worsened after the ruling Georgian Dream party passed laws restricting the activities of non-governmental organisations in 2023 and 2024. In 2024, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced that Georgia would suspend accession talks. The upcoming enlargement report is expected to assess the country’s status and European trajectory.