Gakharia: ensuring further ties with EU will be government’s strategic goal

The candidate for the premiership Giorgi Gakharia has met with ruling Georgian Dream party MPs in parliament earlier today before the parliament votes on him and his cabinet, stating the government’s strategic goal will be to ensure further ties with the EU in the coming four years and to make an appeal for EU membership in 2024. 

We should ensure closer physical ties with the EU in all the fields - communication, roads, logistics, education, economics,” Gakharia stated. 

During his speech in parliament Gakharia said that for the first time in the country’s history nine political parties (including 60 opposition MPs) have won seats in parliament. 

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I can not understand what could be the reason to reject the biggest achievement in the country’s democratisation process. It is impossible to have an adequate response to this,” Gakharia said, commenting on the opposition’s refusal to take up their mandates in parliament. 

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He stated that opposition parties have been trying to stand against the state institutions and spark tension from the street. 

Gakgaria said that strengthening local governments will remain a priority, however, he pointed at the gaps in the qualification of local authorities. 

Gakharia said that he has not change the previous cabinet as its members work effectively. Photo: government of Georgia press office. 

We must ensure a higher level qualification on the municipal lever, otherwise, the decentralisation process will not be effective,” Gakharia said. 

Gakharia said that the central government is ready to ensure ‘a serious social assistance programme’ for the people living in the country’s Russian-occupied regions. 

He stated that the Georgian government was able to maintain neutrality during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 

Neutrality made it possible for us to preserve friendly ties with our neighbours,” Gakharia said. 

The parliament is expected to vote on the new PM and cabinet in the coming days, while all opposition parties still refuse to enter parliament. 

Most of opposition MPs have requested the parliament to suspend their status. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge. 

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The opposition parties say that the elections were fabricated and are demanding repeat elections. 

The diplomatic corps is now mediating talks between the ruling party and the opposition to help the parties end the political crisis. 

The ruling party says that no repeat elections will take place as the elections were held ‘in line with democratic standards.’ 

They say that the recent recognition of the mistake by ISFED NGO in its parallel vote count data is yet further evidence that no fabrication took place.