Europe live: EU warns Georgia ‘foreign agents’ bill threatens its chances to join bloc – as it happened

Demonstrators attempt to block the side entrance of the Georgian parliament during a rally on 1 May. Photograph: Giorgi Arjevanidze/AFP/Getty Images

3.14pm BST

Summary of the day

• Georgia’s parliament cancelled its planned plenary session for today following large protests against a “foreign agents” bill that has raised concerns that country is moving away from democratic norms and closer to Moscow.

• In a statement late yesterday, the US state department said Georgia’s western trajectory is at risk.

• The British embassy in Tbilisi said today “the people of Georgia are loud and clear in their wish to become members of Euro-Atlantic family. Their voices must be heard. Their right to peaceful protest must be respected.”

• Robin Dunnigan, the US ambassador to Georgia, said senior officials have declined an invitation to engage.

• “We urge the Georgian government to recommit the country to its Euro-Atlantic future, as written in Georgia’s constitution. The United States remains committed to our enduring relationship and wants only peace, stability, and prosperity for the Georgian people,” the American diplomat said.

• A number of senior European politicians condemned police violence against protesters in Georgia.

• Elina Valtonen, the Finnish foreign minister, “Georgia was granted EU candidate status and we expect Georgia to stay on that path, which is the people’s choice. People have the right to demonstrate against the law on foreign influence.”

• Gert Jan Koopman, head of the European Commission’s neighbourhood and enlargement directorate, said at the end of a visit to Georgia that it’s still possible to advance on the EU track if the obstacle of the draft law is addressed and progress is made on the steps outlined by the Commission for Tbilisi.

1.46pm BST

'Still time to advance': senior EU official says his door always open

Gert Jan Koopman, head of the European Commission’s neighbourhood and enlargement directorate, said at the end of his visit to Georgia that it’s still possible to advance on the EU track if the obstacle of the draft law is addressed and progress is made on the steps outlined by the Commission for Tbilisi.

My visit to the lovely country of 🇬🇪 ends today.

Still time to advance on 🇬🇪’s #EU track, if the obstacle of the draft law on Foreign Influence is addressed & good progress is made on 9 steps.

🇪🇺 continues to support in all possible ways. Personally, my door is always open. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/PaGCSymH8B

— Gert Jan Koopman (@GertJanEU) May 2, 2024