This situation arose after the Georgian authorities adopted the law "On Transparency of Foreign Influence," despite widespread protests in the country.

As a result, Georgia's integration into the European Union (EU) has been suspended. Ambassador Pavel Herchinskiy, representing the EU in Georgia, announced this during a conference in Tbilisi. He stated, "Currently, Georgia's integration into the European Union has been suspended."

While Herchinskiy hopes for a new wave of EU expansion in the next five years, he is uncertain whether Georgia will be part of it. He expressed optimism that the newly formed government will recommit to serious efforts toward EU integration regardless of who leads it after the elections. He warned that if this does not happen, the EU's relationship with Georgia may resemble its relations with Tunisia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan—all of which do not aim to join the bloc.

"The people of Georgia should choose their future government. The new government, in turn, must define its foreign policy regarding the European Union. We consider Georgia a candidate country and are ready to assist if the next government is interested in joining the EU," he added. "If the future government of Georgia is not interested in EU membership, we will still be open to fostering mutually beneficial relations without it. This is how we engage with other neighboring countries—Tunisia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan."

As Herchinskiy emphasized, on October 26, the people of Georgia will decide whether they want to pursue EU membership and participate in its future expansion or chart a different path for their country.

He also mentioned that the EU has frozen the allocation of €30 million to the Georgian government for 2024. "This is just the first step; other assistance to the Georgian government will likely decrease as well. We will aim to direct this support instead towards civil society and the media," he explained.

The controversial Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence—often referred to as the "Russian Law" by its opponents—requires the establishment of a registry for foreign organizations. This includes NGOs and media that receive at least 20% of their annual budget from foreign funding. In May, the Parliament of Georgia overrode the president's veto and adopted this law; it was signed by Speaker of the Parliament Shalva Papuashvili on June 3. The legislation sparked mass protests in Tbilisi, during which numerous activists were detained.

In response, the United States has announced visa sanctions against those involved in the law's adoption. The initial list of restrictions will include members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, deputies, law enforcement officials, and even ordinary citizens of Georgia, extending to their family members as well.

The international human rights organization Freedom House has stated that the law on "foreign agents" adopted by the Georgian parliament will move the country closer to repressive regimes. Human rights defenders argue that the law "will stigmatize civil activism and independent media and provide authorities with new tools to fine or punish NGOs whose work they do not support."