The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgian Dream responds to the European Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Report, which ranks Georgia as the candidate country with the most negative assessment among the ten candidate countries.
In a statement issued by the ministry, it says the European Commission’s critical evaluation is unfounded and “used for yet another round of political speculation.”
“It is regrettable that the Commission’s report is biased with regard to Georgia when assessing a range of events. However, this is not surprising given the persistent silence of the EU institutions with regard to events that took place in Tbilisi during the municipal elections held on 4 October 2025, to recognize the assault on the state institutions of Georgia and violence used by protesters. Moreover, the joint statement by HRVP Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos creates grounds for misleading interpretations.
As is well known, the Commission’s report reflects the progress achieved based on contributions submitted by the candidate country, as well as the on work carried out within the dialogue formats established under the Association Agreement signed with the EU.
It must be noted that, based on the European Council conclusions of 27 June 2024, the EU, on the pretext of suspending political dialogue with Georgia, refused to hold any single meeting envisaged in the Association Agreement at any level during the past year. Moreover, it refused officially to proceed with the assessment of Georgia’s progress based on its Economic Reform Programme, submitted in line with the methodology developed for candidate/potential candidate countries.
Against the background of improving Georgia’s positioning in various global indexes, including in terms of government integrity, bureaucracy and fight against corruption, well-functioning government, as well as evident stable macroeconomic environment and high economic growth, serious questions arise regarding objectivity of assessments given in the Commission’s report“.
The ministry claims that it is not the policies of Georgian Dream, which fail to meet obligations and the recommendations of Western partners, that harm Georgia–EU relations, but rather the EU institutions themselves, which criticize the party for democratic backsliding.
According to the European Commission’s 2025 Enlargement Report, Georgia’s candidate status exists only in name.
“Georgia has experienced serious democratic backsliding, with a rapid erosion of the rule of law and fundamental rights being severely restricted. The systemic and systematic repressive actions of the authorities, including legislation curtailing civic space and fundamental rights, the functioning of independent media and targeting LGBTIQ persons, excessive use of force in full impunity by the law enforcement authorities and hostile rhetoric against the EU, are in stark contrast with EU values and the actions expected from an EU candidate country.”
Georgia Called ‘Candidate Country in Name Only’ in EU Annual Enlargement Package
