A single amendment to the European Parliament's annual report on Georgia, tabled by the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, introduces a new paragraph linking the lack of research on the Soviet occupation to Russian disinformation and hybrid threats against Georgia's Euro-Atlantic integration. The amendment, published on 10 June 2026 as part of the report by rapporteur Rasa Juknevičienė (A10-0140/2026), argues that historical ignorance creates a vulnerability exploited by Russia to undermine Georgia's EU and NATO aspirations.
The amendment shifts the report's focus from current rule-of-law and democratic challenges to historical memory as a root cause of Russian hybrid warfare. It calls for more academic research and public awareness campaigns on the Soviet occupation, framing historical education as a matter of national security. The ECR group, which submitted the only amendment to the report, thus prioritises anti-communist historical narratives and countering Russian influence through historical reckoning.
Other political groups (EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, Left) did not table amendments, suggesting the original report's language was broadly acceptable to them. They may prefer to focus on more immediate issues such as democratic backsliding, judicial independence, or the implementation of the 12 EU recommendations, rather than linking Georgia's Euro-Atlantic path directly to historical education about the Soviet era.
Policy orientation and trade-offs
The amendment introduces a historical security dimension to the EU's analysis of Russian hybrid threats in Georgia. It implies that addressing historical memory is a prerequisite for Georgia's EU and NATO aspirations, a perspective that may not be universally shared. The trade-off is between elevating historical education to a foreign policy priority versus concentrating on tangible reforms in rule of law, anti-corruption, and media freedom.
Impact on stakeholders
- Georgian government: Could benefit from EU support for historical research and awareness campaigns, but may face pressure to address Soviet-era legacy issues.
- EU institutions: Would need to allocate resources for academic projects and public diplomacy on historical memory, potentially diverting funds from other democracy-support programmes.
- Russian government: The amendment explicitly frames Russia as a manipulator of historical narratives, which could escalate rhetorical tensions.
- Georgian civil society and academia: Could gain EU funding for research on Soviet occupation, but may be drawn into politicised historical debates.
Institutional follow-up
The amendment will be voted on during the European Parliament's plenary session as part of the Juknevičienė report. If adopted, it will become part of the Parliament's official position on Georgia, feeding into EU foreign policy discussions. The Council and Commission will consider the Parliament's recommendations in their engagement with Tbilisi, particularly regarding the 12 EU recommendations and Georgia's EU accession path.