European Parliament appoints MEPs to facilitate dialogue between parties in Georgian parliament
The European Parliament has appointed three MEPs to facilitate Georgian parliamentary mediation and dialogue. Photo: netgazeti.
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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.
@EP_DEG appointed @MiriamMLex and @MarinaKaljurand as co-facilitators for the Jean Monnet Dialogue process in #Georgia. Together with @ViolavonCramon they will help building dialogue & improve democratic parliamentary culture in the @Geoparliament.
— EP Democracy Support (@EP_DEG) June 23, 2021
The April 19 EU-mediated agreement between Georgian political parties proposed the creation of the dialogue format which is an instrument developed by the European Parliament as a soft tool in the area of parliamentary mediation and dialogue.
The activation of the Jean Monnet dialogue means that MEPs will be more actively engaged with facilitation and mediation of a dialogue and crisis management between Georgian political parties.
Proud to accept nomination, looking forward to close cooperation with all political parties and MPs of the ????????Parliament https://t.co/xsXT6R6sXR
— Marina Kaljurand MEP (@MarinaKaljurand) June 24, 2021
The EU-mediated agreement which was offered by European Council President Charles Michel resolved several months of political tension in the country, which began after the October 2020 parliamentary elections.
The agreement proposes large-scale electoral and judicial reforms and concerns the activities of the country’s parliament.
MEP Marina Kaljurand has once again urged Georgian opposition MPs to take up their parliamentary mandates in line with the EU-mediated agreement.
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.
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 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.
MEP Viola von Cramon is now holding informal meetings in Tbilisi with Georgian opposition parties and members following the recent decision of the Georgian Dream ruling party to withdraw from the April 19 EU-mediated agreement.
MEP Marina Kaljurand has stated that Georgian political parties should accept the results of the upcoming municipal elections if the OSCE/ODIHR recognises the legitimacy of the race. In an interview with the Georgian bureau of Voice of America (VOA), Kaljurand also said that the European Parliament expects ‘free, fair and open elections’ to be held in Georgia on October 2.
MEP Marina Kaljurand says that Georgians’ refusal to take to the street after the country’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s recent calls was a ‘signal’ for her that the ex-president has lost his power. Kaljurand stated during yesterday’s online conference organised by the Georgian Institute of Politics that Saakashvili violated the law when he returned to Georgia ahead of the October 2 municipal elections and that his return after eight years in political exile allegedly had an influence on the electoral process.
MEP Marina Kaljurand says that she does not see political consensus regarding the EU’s readiness to talk about Georgia’s European perspective or ‘open door’ policy.
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.