PM Garibashvili: Our country's path to the EU is irreversible
PM Garibashvili noted that the events of July 5 were ‘in the interests of the revanchist, radical opposition and hostile state.’ Photo: Government of Georgia/Facebook.
Tweet 
Share
"There is no discrimination against differing opinions or lifestyles in Georgia”, Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili said earlier today during a meeting with European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi.
All people are protected by law and within the constitution, and so it will be. This is guaranteed by our Constitution. We as a government are executing this law. The generalisation of individual provocative cases is incorrect,” said Garibashvili.
PM Irakli Garibashvili underscored that the foreign policy course of Georgia is Euro-Atlantic and is supported by the vast majority of the population, which ‘will not change.’
Our country's path to the EU is irreversible. In this way, some provocative groups will try to harm our country. Of course, it won’t stop us. We will overcome these provocations and we will achieve our common great goal, which is our country's membership in the European Union”, Garibashvili said.
Happy to welcome @OliverVarhelyi to #Georgia! Discussed the next steps of the ????????-???????? relations, Black Sea region & the upcoming EaP summit. EU to allocate 3.9 billion EUR to ???????? is yet another proof of ???????? support toward #Georgia & ever so growing strategic partnership.
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) July 7, 2021
He also explained the government’s actions on July 5 regarding protecting Tbilisi Pride’s planned ‘March of Dignity’, cancelled later that day after violent attacks on journalists by right-wing groups, and said that 3,500 police officers had been mobilised in the entire city.
We were waiting for the main event at 6 p.m. At 5 p.m. our church had planned a peaceful prayer. The people who started the violence at 11 a.m. had nothing to do with either the church or the government,” PM Garibashvili explained.
PM Garibashvili also noted that the events of July 5 were ‘in the interests of the revanchist, radical opposition and hostile state.’
He also praised the Georgian police for protecting the protesters of the ‘silent’ rally and detaining 100 violent right-wing protesters yesterday.
European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi has met with Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava earlier today and expressed gratitude to the parliament of Georgia for returning the EU flag ‘to its place’ after right-wing protesters burnt it earlier on July 6.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Kakha Kuchava has raised the European Union flag in front of the Georgian parliament building in the capital city of Tbilisi this morning after violent right-wing groups burnt EU and LGBT flags last night. The groups shut down a ‘silent’ demonstration held outside the Parliament of Georgia yesterday which was meant to protest the violent events of July 5.
The US Department of State has called on Georgian leaders and law enforcement ‘to protect the constitutional right to freedom of expression’ following violent attacks against journalists and civic activists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally by right-wing protesters on July 5.
European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi has stated that the European Union stands by Georgia during a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili earlier today. Oliver Varhelyi said that Georgia has overcome its recent political crisis and it is now possible to start working on a new stage of cooperation.
Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition have responded to violent attacks by right-wing groups on civil activists and media in front of the Georgian parliament and elsewhere on July 5-6.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has condemned violence against more than 50 journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on July 5 committed by right-wing protesters. He also underlined that all individuals will be identified and all guilty parties will be brought to justice.
The European parliament has called on the EU and NATO to maintain a close alliance with its aspirant countries, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and Georgia for the security and stability of the region. The statement also calls on transatlantic partners, such as Georgia, to maintain regular contact in the areas of arms control, military transparency and any other issues related to security.