The elections in Georgia and Moldova have shown the European Union how difficult the task is in front of it in terms of expansion to countries that Moscow considers part of its sphere of influence, assesses the Reuters agency and reminds that the EU has stepped up its efforts to receive new members after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. year. Due to the war in Ukraine, Brussels has become aware of the danger posed by the existence of "gray zones" immediately outside the Union that are not firmly part of the West.
In Georgia, a ruling party seen by most EU countries as increasingly pro-Moscow won parliamentary elections on Saturday that observers say were marred by serious irregularities.
In Moldova, which, like Georgia, received the status of a candidate for EU membership, only a narrow majority of voters in a referendum this month supported the inclusion of the goal of joining the EU in the constitution. Pro-Western President Maja Sandu faces a second round of voting after failing to win an absolute victory in the presidential election.
Pro-European politicians in the two former Soviet states claim that Russia conducted a widespread campaign of disinformation and other forms of interference to influence the outcome of the vote. Moscow denies the accusations.
“It's a wake-up call for us. Of course, we have to see that," Reinhold Lopatka, an Austrian member of the European Parliament who was an election observer in Georgia, told Reuters, referring to the elections in both countries. Lopatka pointed out that he still sees "good chances" for Moldova to make progress on its path to the EU, but added: "For Georgia, I'm not sure."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that the EU would pay a price in the form of "war and instability at our borders" if it does not expand. Pro-European leaders in candidate countries say joining the EU would bring greater prosperity and strengthen democracy in their countries.
David McAllister, chairman of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, said the elections in Moldova and Georgia highlighted the "tense and polarized political situation" in both countries, but that the EU must remain consistent on its path.
"The European Union should be ready to continue supporting democratic forces in both countries in order to facilitate their long-term European integration," he said.
The EU's approach to Georgia and Moldova is further complicated by the lack of unity among member states. Lithuania said numerous reports of irregularities during the election cast Georgia's election results into "serious doubt."
Another Baltic state, Latvia, expressed serious concern over reports of voting irregularities and called on Georgian authorities to investigate.
In contrast, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated the ruling Georgian Dream party even before the announcement of the official results, and yesterday he said that the elections were fair and honest. "Instead of useless lectures, Georgians need our support on their European journey," Orban said.
Senior EU officials tried to take a more neutral stance. Foreign Minister Josep Borrell and the European Commission said observers had found election conditions in Georgia to be "uneven" and called on authorities to investigate irregularities.
They avoided saying whether they considered the elections free and fair enough to accept the results.
The EU will face decisions on how to proceed with Georgia and Moldova. So far, the Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia are the only ex-Soviet republics to join the EU, while Moscow has signaled fierce opposition to any other ex-Soviet state joining.
Georgia's EU accession process is currently frozen due to a law that requires organizations that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence.
If the victory of the Georgian party is confirmed, the EU will have to decide whether to try to re-establish contacts with Tbilisi. The party claims it wants Georgia to join the EU, despite moves to distance it from the EU mainstream.
In Moldova, much will depend on the outcome of the second round of elections on November 3, where Sandu faces off against her challenger Aleksandar Stoianoglo, who is supported by a traditionally pro-Russian party.
Some current and former Moldovan officials believe that the EU should further support Moldova's aspirations for EU membership.
"European integration should be continuously used as an instrument that helps troubled countries to become safer, more democratic, more stable and more secure," Niku Popescu, former Moldovan foreign minister and now a member of the Council for External Relations of the European Union, told Reuters.
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