On 10 June 2026, the European Parliament's ESN Group tabled a comprehensive set of amendments to the 2025 report on Georgia, fundamentally rewriting its critical assessment of the country's democratic trajectory. The amendments, led by rapporteur Tomasz Froelich, reframe Georgia's legislative agenda and foreign policy as legitimate sovereign choices, directly opposing the draft report's narrative of democratic backsliding.
The amendments challenge the report's core premise that Georgia has abandoned its Euro-Atlantic path. They legitimise the October 2024 parliamentary elections as a valid expression of the people's will and call on the EU to respect the outcome. The ESN also opposes EU sanctions against Georgian officials, labelling them "unjustified foreign interference" and advocating for constructive dialogue instead. The amendments reframe Georgia's multi-vector foreign policy as a balanced strategic choice, deleting criticism of its turn towards China, Russia, and Iran, and instead highlighting Georgia's role in EU energy security and logistics, such as the Black Sea submarine cable and the Middle Corridor.
The ESN's position stands in stark contrast to the draft report's consensus, which reflects the views of the centre-right (EPP), Socialists (S&D), Liberals (Renew), and Greens. Those groups view Georgia's legislative changes as tools to stifle civil society and media, the foreign policy shift as a strategic reorientation away from the EU, and the elections as flawed. The amendments seek to delete language about "stifling" pluralism or "foreign agents" and instead frame restrictive laws as legitimate efforts for transparency and accountability.
Key changes include introducing a positive ranking from the Chandler Good Government Index to counter claims of judicial and governance decline, and shifting blame for the opposition boycott of the 2025 municipal elections onto the opposition itself, stating the elections were conducted within the legal framework. The amendments also pivot to emphasise Georgia's positive contributions to EU energy security, omitting any reference to problematic partnerships.
The amendments, if adopted, would significantly alter the EU's stance towards Georgia. For the Georgian government, they provide a diplomatic victory and validation of its policies. For Georgian civil society and pro-EU opposition, they undermine international pressure for democratic reforms. For EU institutions, adopting the amendments would signal a shift from a value-driven to a pragmatic foreign policy, potentially weakening the EU's leverage on democratic standards. For EU member states, the amendments could deepen divisions between those favouring engagement and those prioritising democratic conditionality.
The amendments will be debated and voted on in the European Parliament plenary. The outcome will determine whether the Parliament adopts a critical or conciliatory stance towards Georgia, influencing EU-Georgia relations and the country's European integration prospects.
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