Local NGOs: ‘political parties involved in EU-mediated talks should sign new document to solve political tension in Georgia’
Last week the ruling party signed Danielsson’s agreement and said that they ‘put the state interests above the party interests.’ Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia/on.ge.
Tweet 
Share
Georgian non-governmental organisations Transparency International Georgia, International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, and Georgian Young Lawyers Association state that all political parties should sign the new proposal by the EU to solve the political tension in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections.
The document may not fully reflect all the demands and interests of the parties involved in the mediation process, however compromise means conceding disputed issues. It is welcomed that several parties have expressed their willingness to sign the document, although unfortunately the will of some has not been clearly expressed”, reads the joint statement of local NGOs.
The agreement released by the European Council President Charles Michel on the weekend offers a pardon for all violations and convictions stemming from the 19-21 June 2019 protests in Tbilisi and says that if the ruling party fails to receive at least 43 per cent of votes in this year’s municipal elections, they should accept the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections.
Three MPs of the Girchi party have signed, while Lelo has stated they will also sign the new proposal by the EU to solve the political tension in Georgia.
- Girchi signs, other opposition parties likely to join new EU proposal to solve Georgian political tension
- President to pardon Matavri Arkhi co-founder Rurua if opposition enters parliament
Michele’s mediator Christian Danielsson failed twice to help the parties come to an agreement last month.
Initially, in March neither the ruling party nor the opposition signed the agreement offered by Danielsson.
However, last week the ruling party signed Danielsson’s agreement and said that they ‘put the state interests above the party interests.’
The opposition parties did not sign Danielsson’s agreement because it said nothing about repeat elections.
Now the leaders of the United National Movement and European Georgia opposition parties say that the opposition should sign Michel's proposal.
However, they say that consultations are still in progress inside the parties because several members of the parties are against the signing.
Leader of Strategy Agmashenebeli has stated that he approves the signing of the proposal.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has stated that she will pardon the co-founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Giorgi Rurua if Georgian political parties sign the new proposal by the European Council President Charles Michel to solve the political tension and if opposition MPs take up their mandates.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has stated that they are ready to sign the new proposal by the EU to solve the political tension in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections. The agreement released by the European Council President Charles Michel on the weekend offers a pardon for all violations and convictions stemming from the 19-21 June 2019 protests in Tbilisi and says that if the ruling party fails to receive at least 43 per cent of votes in this year’s municipal elections, they should accept the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections.
Three MPs of the Girchi party have signed, while Lelo has stated they will also sign the new proposal by the EU to solve the political tension in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections.
The agreement released by the European Council President Charles Michel on the weekend offers a pardon for all violations and convictions stemming from the 19-21 June 2019 protests in Tbilisi and says that if the ruling party fails to receive at least 43 per cent of votes in this year’s municipal elections, they should accept the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections.
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’.
The United States welcomes the agreement reached by the government of Georgia and several opposition parties on April 19, under the mediation of European Union President Charles Michel, to bring an end to Georgia’s political crisis, announces the US Embassy to Georgia.
The third president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently holds an official post in Ukraine, has urged the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party to sign the new proposal by the EU and enter parliament after UNM leader Nika Melia leaves prison ‘without posting bail and in a dignified manner.’
Opposition parties which have signed the EU-mediated agreement with the ruling Georgian Dream party will enter the state legislature on April 27 to submit an amnesty bill. Six Georgian political parties and several individual MPs signed the proposal by the European Council President Charles Michel on April 19 to solve the political tension in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections.