EU Observer: “Applying the rule of law in Georgia”

Georgia is navigating through unchartered waters as it continues legal action against former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili for abuse of power, embezzlement of state funds and human rights violations, writes regional anayst Amanda Paul for the EU Observer website.

In a piece published online on August 31, Paul explains how Saakashvili’s supporters claim the charges against him are "politically motivated” and "unjustified”, while balancing her argument with reasons why Georgian officials have acted the way they have.

As advised by the EEAS, Georgia certainly needs to "move beyond past conflicts and to focus on the country’s future,” but in order to move forward and consolidate democracy and the rule of law in Georgia, these prosecutions may well need to run their course … [but] it should be noted however that the cases being investigated are far from trivial,” Paul writes.

She notes: "Given that the EU and the US insisted for years on the importance of the rule of law, telling the Georgian’s now that it is in their best interest to just let it go and "move on” naturally does not go down so well,” and uses other European examples to question why in Western Europe such action is considered "a hallmark of democracy” but further East was deemed "political persecution”.

Read the full article here: www.blogs.euobserver.com