7 recommendations for EU policymakers after the development in Georgia

On 29 May 2024, The Eastern Partnership Network arranged a webinar where seven concrete actions where highlighted.

Here are our recommendations for EU policymakers 

1. Support European integration

• Continue supporting the Georgian people's aspirations for European and North Atlantic integration.
• Provide political support and funding to strengthen civil society and democratic values in Georgia.

2. Sanctions and accountability

• Sanction individuals responsible for the democratic backsliding and the implementation of restrictive laws.
• Avoid punishing the public to prevent disillusionment with EU support.

3. Monitoring and oversight

• Closely monitor the human rights environment, especially before the parliamentary election.
• Vigilantly oversee Georgia's informal relationships with Russia and China.
• Recognize individuals fined, imprisoned, or injured as political prisoners. 

 4. Support for civil society

• Continue and enhance support for NGOs and independent media.
• Provide flexible, decentralized funding to grassroots organizations.
• Encourage and support the work of civil society organizations in monitoring human rights. 

5. Clear messaging and pressure

• Deliver unambiguous messages and clearly assign blame for anti-democratic actions.
• Shift from providing incentives to imposing penalties, considering the threat of removal of the visa liberalization regime.
• Pressure the Georgian opposition to channel protest energy into political action and achieve political results.

6. Regional and geopolitical context

• Develop a Georgia policy within a broader strategy against Russia and China, considering the regional context.
• Formulate coalitions of willing partners within the EU and with other Western countries if necessary. 

7. Continued engagement

• Sweden and other EU member states to maintain and potentially recalibrate support for Georgian civil society and independent media.
• Focus on advancing gender equality, LGBTQI rights, and media rights.