The EU should treat enlargement as a security issue while insisting that democratic standards are upheld, including at local and regional level, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) has declared.
The EU’s assembly of local and regional representatives met in plenary to review the European Commission’s latest assessment of reforms in countries seeking EU membership, the CoR said in a statement on Thursday.
Progress was noted in several candidate countries, including Ukraine and Moldova, while political tensions were flagged in parts of the Western Balkans and democratic backsliding was reported in Georgia and Turkey.
Support for local democratic leaders was also highlighted through the Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award being presented to Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, who has been held in pre-trial detention for almost a year.
The award was received on his behalf by Istanbul’s acting mayor, Nuri Aslan, during the same plenary session.
Concerns over rule of law and local democracy
Ukraine’s determination to pursue reforms and decentralisation despite the war was praised, including steps taken in July 2025 to restore the independence of anti-corruption institutions, according to the statement.
CoR members also warned that martial law had led to centralisation in some areas and insufficient consultation with local authorities, and called for the restoration of local democratic mandates once security conditions allow.
In Moldova, sustained reform efforts and the conduct of competitive elections in 2025 were acknowledged despite foreign interference and “hybrid pressure” — a term used for non-military actions such as disinformation and cyberattacks.
In Georgia, democratic backsliding was described as serious, with accession negotiations in a “de facto pause”, alongside concerns about declining alignment with the EU’s foreign and security policy.
On the Western Balkans, the Committee’s opinion described Serbia’s accession process as at a “critical moment”, citing a slowdown in reforms linked to the rule of law, democratic governance and media freedom, as well as “systematic corruption” and “repression of journalists and civil society actors.”
The organisation again condemned the continued detention of opposition mayors in Turkey and the replacement of elected local leaders by government-appointed trustees, and reiterated its request to visit imprisoned local representatives including İmamoğlu.
In Bosnia-Herzegovina, members warned against secessionist rhetoric and actions that undermine constitutional order.
