Georgia suspends talks on joining the EU for 4 years, accusing the bloc of 'blackmail'
Georgia’s prime minister has declared that the South Caucasus country will put negotiations on its bid to join the European Union on hold for four years in view of what he described as “blackmail and manipulation” from some of the bloc’s politicians
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Georgia is suspending talks on its bid to join the European Union for four years, its prime minister said Thursday, in view of what he described as “blackmail and manipulation” from some of the bloc's politicians.
The statement by Irakli Kobakhize came hours after he was reappointed to the job by members of the governing Georgian Dream party after its disputed victory in last month’s parliamentary election that has sparked protests and led to an opposition boycott of parliament.
The Oct. 26 election was widely seen as a referendum on the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia seeking to keep Georgia in its orbit, and declared a boycott of parliament.
European election observers said the balloting took place in a “divisive” atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.
The EU has previously announced that the talks on Georgia’s accession to the bloc had been de-facto halted because of its backsliding on democracy.