US, EU Embassies say compromise necessary amid Georgian political crisis
Ahead of the statement, US Ambassador Kelly Degnan and Head of EU Delegation Carl Hartzell held a meeting with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili. Photo: President's press office
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The United States Embassy to Georgia and the European Union Delegation welcome the resumption of contacts between the ruling party and opposition ‘as a sign of willingness to continue consultations to reach a broad-based agreement’ to end the current political crisis.
In the joint statement released late yesterday the US and the EU representations also ‘reiterate the necessity for all parties to compromise with each other’.
Statement of the U.S. and E.U. Embassies in Georgia:
— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) April 17, 2021
We welcome the resumption of contacts as a sign of willingness to continue consultations to reach a broad-based agreement. We reiterate the necessity for all parties to compromise with each other.
Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, Carl Hartzell has also tweeted:
Statement by the United States Embassy and the Delegation of the EU to Georgia:
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) April 17, 2021
“We welcome the resumption of contacts as a sign of willingness to continue consultations to reach a broad-based agreement. We reiterate the necessity for all parties to compromise with each other”.
Earlier on Friday, the ruling Georgian Dream party signed the EU-proposed agreement by mediator Christian Danielsson to demonstrate their 'commitment and constructive approach'.
However, opposition refuses to follow their example until the United National Movement leader Nika Melia is released from prison.
The US Department of State is ‘disappointed’ that the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition have not yet come to an agreement to ease the current political tension in Georgia, Voice of America (VoA) cites the US Department of State as saying.
Opposition politicians will gather at Rike Park in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Monday, April 19, to inform the population about their further plans.
Opposition United National Movement members refuse to sign any agreement with the ruling Georgian Dream party until their leader Nika Melia is released from prison. UNM member Koba Nakopia said until ‘the chair of the main opposition party is detained’ the agreement with the Georgian Dream is ‘impossible’.
European Parliament members Viola von Cramon-Taubadel and Marina Kaljurand call on the Georgian opposition to follow the example of the ruling party and sign the EU-proposed agreement to solve the current political crisis.
Spokespeople of the High Representative of the European Union/Vice-President of European Commission and the United States Department of State call on all members of the parliament of Georgia to sign the agreement that President of the European Council Charles Michel will propose today.
Several changes have been made to the European Union-backed compromise to end the political crisis in Georgia. Head of the EU Delegation to Georgia Carl Hartzell, who introduced the changes to politicians earlier today, said this is a proposal that President of the European Council Charles Michel ‘views as balanced and realistic’.