Kaja Kallas: Georgian Government's Actions Against Media and Civil Society Clash with EU Values

Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, stated that the measures being taken by the Georgian government against free media, civil society, and protesters violate the core principles and values upheld by the European Union.

Responding to a Formula journalist’s question on whether the EU still considers Georgia a candidate country “in light of political repression, political prisoners, and the crackdown on media and civil society,” Kallas confirmed that member states had raised these concerns during the meeting, The Caspian Post reports citing Georgia Today.

“The room for civil society and journalists is indeed shrinking. The measures that the Georgian government is taking against free media, civil society, and protesters go against all the rules and principles that we value in the European Union,” Kallas said.

“As for the question of Georgia’s candidate status for EU membership - with these measures, it is impossible to consider that it will be the case, because this is going totally in another direction than what Europe represents.”

Kallas made the statement following the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg.