MEPs praise Georgia’s response to COVID-19, welcome pardon of opposition leaders
The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is hearing a report by Estonian MEP Sven Mikser on the implementation of the EU association agreement with Georgia. Photo: EP.
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MEPs have praised Georgia’s ‘very effective’ response to COVID-19 and have welcomed the recent pardon of Georgian opposition leaders Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okrushvili during today’s discussion of the annual implementation report of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement.
The reporter, Estonian MEP Sven Mikser stated that the EU should continue to support Georgia as “the EU does not support concrete politicians of parties, but the aspirations of the Georgian people.”
MEP Urmas Paet stated that the upcoming parliamentary elections in Georgia in the autumn ‘is of utmost importance.’
MEP Andrius Kubilius stated that ‘if everything goes well’, Georgia will set a strong example for the Eastern Partnership states.
Georgia’s major challenge for now is the conduct of free and fair parliamentary elections,” he said, adding that the recent pardon of Ugulava and Okruashvili ‘gave a prospect for the full implementation of the March 8 election agreement.’
MEP Michael Galer praised the Georgian government for its actions against the coronavirus and expressed hope that the constitutional changes, per the March 8 election agreement between the ruling party and the opposition, will be passed as it was agreed.
Lawrence Meredith, Director for Neighbourhood East, DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations said that Georgia’s response to COVID-19 was one of the most effective worldwide. Photo: Flkr.
MEP Anna Fogyta spoke about the Russian occupation of Georgian territories, June protests and the election issues.
She praised the president for the pardon of the opposition leaders and expressed hope that the co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Giorgi Rurua will be released soon.
Lawrence Meredith, Director for Neighbourhood East, DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations stated that Georgia coped with the challenges triggered by the coronavirus ‘very successfully.’
He said that the EU was not the first who provided support for Georgia in the situation, ‘however, being sustainable in the partnership is more important than being the first.’
Meredith said that Georgia’s response to COVID-19 was one of the most effective worldwide.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has responded to a MEP from Poland Anna Fotyga that opposition leaders Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okruashvili were not ‘political prisoners.’ On May 15 President Salome Zurabishvili pardoned Ugulava and Okruashvili as she said to ‘discharge the situation.’
Opposition parties accuse the ruling Georgian Dream party of endangering the March 8 election agreement ‘once again’ as Tbilisi City court denied bail to the co-founder of opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua earlier today.
Foreign ambassadors in Georgia, who have been facilitating the political dialogue between the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition over the 2020 parliamentary election model, welcomed President Salome Zurabishvili’s decision to pardon opposition politicians Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okruashvili.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili announced today that she is pardoning Georgian opposition politicians Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okruashvili, which she said was ‘a very difficult decision’. Salome Zurabishvili said although she is very well aware of the ‘real actions and crimes’ of the two former officials, Ugulava and Okruashvili, nevertheless, as the president, she is pardoning them for the sake of 'the country’s interests’.
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has responded to the recent pardon of opposition leaders Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okruashvili and stated that it is unacceptable for him that ‘so-called politicians, who committed serious crimes, were pardoned only because they are in politics.’ “It is unacceptable for me that the person who was trying to break into the parliament building on June 20 (referring to Irakli Okruashvili) and the person who stole 50 million GEL from the state budget (referring to Gigi Ugulava) were pardoned only because they are politicians, so-called politicians,” Gakharia said.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili says that Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze and the head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili were informed of her decision to pardon opposition leaders Gigi Ugulava and Irakli Okruashvili.