Viola von Cramon: Georgia won’t join EU in 10–20 years if it stays on Russian path

Former Member of the European Parliament Viola von Cramon has warned that Georgia’s continued drift toward Russian-style autocracy will prevent the country from joining the European Union for at least the next 10 to 20 years.

Speaking to Georgian media outlet Formula, von Cramon said the current government has lost its democratic foundations and is increasingly aligning itself with Moscow and Minsk.

“There are no democratic foundations left in this government. Recent developments have shown numerous indicators that the government—or rather the regime—is moving further and further toward Russia and Belarus. We are all witnessing the erosion of democracy, which has become a nightmare for us,” she said.

Von Cramon expressed concern that billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, seeks to remain in power indefinitely and is unwilling to transfer authority through democratic means.

“Whether this is being directed from Moscow or is simply a coincidence of shared interests between Ivanishvili and [Vladimir] Putin, I cannot say. But Ivanishvili clearly has no intention of handing over power voluntarily. This is a major risk—not just for Georgia, but for the entire region,” she said.

The former MEP also lamented the EU’s inability to sanction Ivanishvili due to the bloc’s unanimous decision-making requirement. “It’s frustrating and tragic that all 27 member states must agree to impose sanctions—and we haven’t been able to achieve that. This division is exactly what Moscow and Ivanishvili want,” she added.

Despite describing Georgia as a “dear friend,” von Cramon said the country’s democratic backsliding is making support increasingly difficult. “Last year, there was a window of opportunity. Why not start reforms now? To me, this is hypocrisy and a masquerade.”

“If Georgia continues on a Russian-style autocratic path, there will be no EU membership for the next 10–20 years,” von Cramon concluded.