'Truly European way of resolving crisis': foreign diplomats welcome agreement reached between political parties in Georgia
European Union President Charles Michel said that this was 'a truly European way of resolving the crisis'. Photo: Charles Michel/Twitter.
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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.
While the signing of this agreement is a significant step, ending months of negotiations, we recognise that its implementation is equally important. The United States is committed to assisting the parliament to ensure this agreement achieves its aspirations", reads the statement published by the embassy.
In addition, the embassy invites individual members of parliament and remaining parties to sign the agreement 'so that all of Georgia’s elected representatives can begin working together in a fully functioning parliament on the pressing issues facing Georgia'.
United States government official Ned Price posted on Twitter:
We welcome the agreement reached in Georgia on April 19. This sign of good faith is important progress for Georgia’s democratic development. Implementation will be equally important. We remain committed to helping Georgia ensure this agreement achieves its aspirations. https://t.co/zzlJnISTUP
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) April 19, 2021
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has also posted on his Twitter account that he is inviting all elected members of parliament of Georgia to sign an agreement at the EU Delegation office today.
To all elected Members of Parliament of Georgia: you are invited to sign the agreement at the EU Delegation, tomorrow (Tuesday) from 9am.
— Carl Hartzell (@CarlHartzellEU) April 19, 2021
Didi Madloba! pic.twitter.com/ukMlikIdtC
European Council President Charles Michel made a new proposal to the Georgian Dream and the opposition yesterday. According to the mediators' document, the individuals assessed as political prisoners should be released within a week after the signing of the agreement between the government and the opposition. In addition, according to Charles Michel, early elections in Georgia should be called in 2022 if the Georgian Dream gets less than 43% of votes in the local elections", Hartzell said.
Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker stated that the agreement is 'perhaps the last best chance to get out of the current crisis'.
The EU-brokered agreement, which has full support from the US government, is perhaps the last best chance to get out of the current crisis. It is also the first and necessary step on the path toward normalisation of democratic politics in Georgia. There is clearly a lot more to do, but it is necessary to start somewhere. I commend all those MP's from all backgrounds who felt that the country's interests come first, and that signing this agreement is the right step at this time. I hope others join them, and that all aspects of the agreement will be implemented", he stated.
In his statement President Michel recalled how six weeks ago he met political parties in Tbilisi and called on them to relaunch political dialogue.
I put on the table five substantive points that needed to be addressed to overcome the challenges. I promised to you I would remain engaged. I appointed my Personal Envoy, Danielsson, who visited Georgia twice and I asked my team to accompany the process. Six weeks later, the crisis is over. I want to thank you all for your commitment and courage to put the differences aside in the interest of Georgia", said Michel, adding that this agreement is not the 'finish line' but is the starting point for all political parties' work towards consolidating Georgian democracy and taking Georgia forward on its Euro-Atlantic future.
Michel concluded that this was 'a truly European way of resolving the crisis'.
Agreement in #Georgia
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) April 19, 2021
Sakartvelos Gaumarjos!
Congratulations to political leaders on signing the deal out of the current crisis.
You put the people's interests first and let democracy prevail.
Thanks to President @Zourabichvili_S and all parties. pic.twitter.com/cBm4pRQwWr
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda posted on his Twitter that he welcomes an agreement reached between political parties in Georgia.
Welcome the achieved political consensus in #Georgia! #EU @eucopresident & USA joint mediation efforts proved fruitful. Lithuania supports Georgia's European aspirations and strengthening of democratic values! https://t.co/gRJ9lMHH67
— Gitanas Nausėda (@GitanasNauseda) April 19, 2021
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania Bogdan Aurescu also welcomed the EU mediated agreement between political parties in Georgia, saying 'this is a good sign that Georgia is continuing on to the right direction towards consolidating democracy and on the EU path'.
I welcome t/#EU mediated agreement btwn political parties in #Georgia to end t/deadlock. A good sign that Georgia???????? is continuing on t/right direction towards consolidating democracy & on t/EU path. RO???????? fully supports t/European aspirations of Georgia @eucopresident@DZalkaliani https://t.co/5BmqoFF9zj
— Bogdan Aurescu (@BogdanAurescu) April 20, 2021
A post on official Twitter account of the British Embassy in Tbilisi reads that the embassy is calling on all political parties who have not yet signed the agreement to have the courage to do so.
მივესალმებით პოლიტიკური კრიზისის განსამუხტად მიმართულ პროგრესს.
— UK in Georgia (@UKinGeorgia) April 19, 2021
მოვუწოდებთ ყველა პოლიტიკურ პარტიას, რომლებსაც ჯერ არ მოუწერია ხელი, გამოიჩინონ გამბედაობა და ხელი მოაწერონ შეთანხმებას, საქართველოს მოქალაქეების ინტერესებისა და ქვეყნის ევრო-ატლანტიკური პროგრესის სასარგებლოდ. https://t.co/WTMPcG7e9Z
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde posted on her Twitter account:
I welcome the agreement between political leaders in Georgia. Encourage those who have not yet signed to do so. The agreement and its implementation will strengthen Georgia’s democratic development and European integration. Grateful to @eucopresident for all efforts.
— Ann Linde (@AnnLinde) April 20, 2021
The European Council President Charles Michel will visit Georgia in the afternoon to meet with the leaders of the political parties who signed his proposal yesterday in Tbilisi to solve the political tension in the country which began following the 2020 parliamentary elections. The proposal by Michel covers electoral and justice reforms, offers pardon for all violations and convictions stemming from the 19-21 June 2019 protests and the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections in 2022 if the ruling party fails to receive at least 43 per cent of votes in this year’s municipal elections.
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.
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.
European Council President Charles Michel has come to Tbilisi earlier today, shortly after the majority of Georgian political parties signed his proposal to solve the political tension in Georgia which began following the 2020 parliamentary elections. After a meeting with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili, Michel said that he is happy Georgian political parties have come to an agreement and stated that ‘today marks the start of hard work that will take Georgia forward along its Euro-Atlantic path.’
European Council President Charles Michel, who arrived in Georgia after the Georgian opposition and authorities signed the EU-proposed agreement, has stated that the ability to come to a compromise is a strength, not a weakness.
Members of opposition party Lelo - Mamuka Khazaradze, Badri Japaridze and Grigol Gogelia - are holding meetings with European Parliament members in Brussels.
MEPs Marina Kaljurand, Sven Mikser and Viola Von Cramon have welcomed the signing of the EU-mediated proposal by majority of Georgian political parties to put an end to the political tension in Georgia which began after the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze has announced his resignation today, however, he will continue his parliamentary activities as vice speaker. Talakvadze explained at a news briefing that following the recent political dialogue with the opposition and the consequent EU-proposed agreement, he decided to quit the speaker’s position.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has hosted opposition MPs at the Orbeliani palace to discuss current political affairs. President Zurabishvili met separately with leaders of Girchi, Citizens, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Lelo for Georgia and Repulican Party, as well as MP Salome Samadashvili.
Tbilisi City Court has accepted the release of the head of the United National Movement Nika Melia after the European Union posted Melia’s 40,000 GEL bail on May 8, following the EU-mediated agreement between Georgian political parties in April. After the completion of technical issues Melia will leave Rustavi prison where he has been in pretrial custody since February 23, 2021.
The European Georgia opposition party has made a final decision earlier today and stated that the party will not enter the state legislature, while three of its five mandates have already been taken up.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava is paying his first official visit to Brussels in the role.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has stated earlier today that ‘it is likely Georgian political parties have built a large consensus on the election bill, in line with the EU-mediated agreement signed by the majority of the parties back in April.'
The ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition were unable to come to an agreement on an amnesty bill for June 2019 protests, according to the EU-mediated agreement signed by both parties back in April 2021.
MEP Marina Kaljurand has once again urged Georgian opposition MPs to take up their parliamentary mandates in line with the EU-mediated agreement.
Members of PACE Monitoring Committee Titus Corlatean, Clause Kern and Bas Klein have arrived in Georgia on a two-day visit to discuss election-related issues and planned reforms in the electoral and justice fields.
Five MPs of three opposition parties and two independent MPs have formed a new faction in the Georgian state legislature with the name Charles Michel’s Reforms Group.
The Georgian parliament has rejected the opposition’s amnesty bill for the June 2019 protests which was drafted following the EU-mediated agreement back in April 2021.
The European Parliament has appointed MEPs Marina Kaljurand and Miriam Lexmann to co-facilitate Georgian parliamentary mediation and dialogue with MEP Viola von Cramon, who will chair the EP’s Jean Monnet Dialogue for Peace and Democracy, the European Parliament Democracy Support and Election Coordination Group (DEG) has reported.
The EU-Georgia Civil Society Platform, one of the bodies set up under the Association Agreement between the European Union and Georgia, is concerned about the increasing number of human rights violations in the Russian-occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia).
President of the European Council Charles Michel and the presidents Moldova and Ukraine Maia Sandu and Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Georgia to participate in the Batumi International Conference beginning on Monday, July 19.
The Cabinet of the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia has responded to a statement issued by European Parliament facilitators on their revoked visit to Georgia, which had been aimed at launching the Jean Monnet Dialogue with their Georgian counterparts.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has said that the April 19 EU-mediated agreement remains a "roadmap" for Georgia's European integration, pointing out that the agreement had helped to end a "toxic boycott of the Parliament" after the 2020 elections.