European Affairs Ministers are scheduled to meet in Copenhagen from September 1st, but at least one state will be excluded.
Under the Danish presidency of the Council of the European Union, the meeting will be attended by ministers from the 27 EU member states, along with various EU accession candidate countries—but not Georgia.
Last November, Georgia allegedly decided to suspend its EU integration bid until 2028, amid what the ruling Georgian Dream party saw as foreign interference in its domestic affairs. This also helped to prompt exclusion from the ‘challenges for Europe’s foreign and security policy’ discussion in Warsaw, staged on May 7th to 8th this year.
However, Georgian parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili responded, claiming
There has never been any suspension of European integration, especially not on 28 November as they claim. It is disappointing that today we are hearing lies from member states of the EU.
He added that Georgia’s exclusion was a ‘violation of procedures’ by Denmark.
Escalating tensions between Tbilisi and Brussels saw the recent suspension of visa-free travel for Georgian diplomats, which could be extended to all Georgians. EU toady and Polish PM Donald Tusk also now emphasises the issue of Georgian criminals operating in Poland, possibly for political effect.
Current invitations to Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey, and the Western Balkan countries to attend the event remain open.