Georgia's EU Dream Hits a Roadblock

Georgia's journey to join the European Union has hit a snag. The EU's latest report card on the country's progress is not pretty. It says Georgia is moving away from, not towards, EU membership. The EU's ambassador to Georgia, Pawel Herczynski, didn't mince words. He called the report's findings "devastating" for Georgia's hopes of joining the EU. The report praised other countries like Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, and Moldova for their progress. But Georgia? Not so much. The EU accused Georgia of "serious democratic backsliding. " That's a fancy way of saying Georgia is not living up to the EU's standards for democracy. The report even said Georgia is now a candidate country "in name only. " Ouch. This isn't the first time Georgia has faced criticism. Once a shining example of democracy in the region, Georgia has been backsliding since the war in Ukraine started. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, has been cracking down on opposition politicians and protesters. They've even frozen accession talks with the EU, though they claim they still want to join. The Georgian government isn't taking this lying down. They say the EU is trying to force its "ideological and political dictates" on them. The speaker of Georgia's parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, said Georgia won't give up on its EU dreams. But actions speak louder than words, and Georgia's actions aren't convincing the EU. Things are heating up. Last week, Georgian Dream announced plans to sue the country's three main opposition parties. They claim these parties pose a "real threat to the constitutional order. " The opposition parties say the lawsuit is politically motivated. This is not a good look for Georgia's democracy.