PM Garibashvili: Georgia is distinguished star among EU Eastern Partnership states
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili spoke about a number of issues with journalists today. Photo: PM's press office/archive
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“We are a sovereign and independent state. We are doing everything, and we are a distinguished star among the EU Eastern Partnership states, with our reforms, achievements”, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has told journalists today.
Garibashvili said the ‘irresponsible, malevolent politicians’ who have served at various leading positions under Mikheil Saakashvili’s leadership, now urge Georgia’s main partner - the United States - ‘to ruin relations with us’.
That is a continuation of the malicious policy we all have witnessed. Of course, we will press on with this process to the end, and no force, no malicious and unfair policy of uncertain origin, will impede our progress and our country's advancement and development”, he said.
Speaking of US-Georgia relations PM Garibashvili said the US State Department and the Secretary of State have thanked him personally for his leadership in the region and ‘the successful mission we completed together with America’.
Our country is proud of the exceptional, unique strategic partnership we enjoy with our key strategic partner, the United States of America, a staunch supporter of our country and people, for which we are grateful to America, and I always express gratitude for their assistance over the past 30 years, since the restoration of our independence”, he told the journalists.
Garibashvili added as well that on its part, Georgia has also done and is still doing everything it can to further strengthen this partnership and friendship ‘based on equal relationships and mutual respect’.
EU-mediated agreement between Georgian political parties
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili spoke about the EU-mediated agreement between the Georgian ruling party and opposition as well, thanking the European Council President Charles Michel for his engagement.
I once again thank President Charles Michel for it, because his involvement was crucial at the moment to ensure an agreement with our opposition. However, I also remind everyone that more than half of the opposition under the leadership of Saakashvili and his party have yet to sign this agreement, and that says it all”, PM Garibashvili said.
I also would like to remind our partners, and everyone for that matter, that we, on our end, have continued and are continuing this process, doing everything to implement it and fulfilling all our obligations. Everything else is nothing but speculations”, he added.
PM: “The appointment of judges is a process”
PM Garibashvili spoke about the recent appointment of Supreme Court judges, despite calls from the opposition, NGOs and the international community to suspend the process in compliance with the EU-mediated agreement.
Dissatisfaction has been expressed over the judiciary, the appointment of judges, and so on. I would like to say that our Government, upon coming to power in 2012, implemented a major judiciary reform resulting in serious progress in the court system”, Irakli Garibashvili said.
He also said that ‘we all remember well the country we were living in prior to 2012, with the judiciary being just another unit under the Prosecutor's Office‘, but ‘neither the US nor Europe has ever made a critical comment against the judiciary of that time, and it is unfortunate and unfair’.
We are carrying on with this process, and we have stated that we are continuing our large-scale judiciary reform, a lengthy process that is not done overnight. We do not claim to be perfect and infallible, but it is a process. What we have done in the past eight years has made a tremendous difference, like day and night. There used to be night, but now we have a day, daylight”, he said.
Garibashvili also said that in terms of judicial independence and transparency, Georgia is ‘ahead of many EU states’.
In terms of public trust in the judiciary, we are on par with the leading EU states. Consequently, some may have some questions, and a misunderstanding may occur. But I promise everyone that this misunderstanding with our main strategic partner will be cleared up, and we will answer every question there is. It takes more communication, interaction, and explanation”, PM Garibashvili told the journalists earlier today.
PM on July 5-6 violence against journalists and the death of TV Pirveli cameraman
The Georgian Prime Minister has spoken about the recent developments in Tbilisi when the right-wing groups attacked a total of 53 media representatives, including TV Pirveli cameraman Lekso Lashkarava, on July 5-6
Once again, I would like to extend my sympathy to all of you over the death of your colleague. Of course, it is an enormous tragedy for us all, but taking advantage of and manipulating the death of your colleague to influence the public is a profoundly immoral act”, Garibahsvili said about Lashkarava’ds death.
He again reiterated that ‘the only force engaged in manipulation here is Saakashvili and his radical group’.
Unfortunately, I must admit that the part of journalists who are directly involved in this political campaign and rallying will have a negative, unhealthy impact on the media environment, but this is their choice. We, the Government will do everything to enable you journalists to word and move freely. The Government has done everything to that end”, he said.
Garibashvili added that since 2012, ‘our country has been earning top positions in all rankings, ahead of many EU member states, and media freedom is guaranteed in our country’.
He also said ‘in a matter of just two weeks, anyone can establish a TV station and launch media operations in Georgia’.
“We have heard many speculations surrounding July 5-6… The police have done an excellent job. Over those 2 days, 120 persons were arrested. On July 6, 100 persons were arrested, and 22 were arrested in relation to violent acts. Every violent act against you journalists will be investigated as fast as possible, and everyone responsible will be duly punished”, he concluded.
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 ruling Georgian Dream party says all conditions of the EU-mediated agreement ending months of political standoff in April 2021 have been fulfilled amid the US State Department’s criticism over the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court. The agreement had called for a moratorium on the appointment of judges before the implementation of wide-scale judicial reforms.
The US State Department has called on the Georgian government to suspend the process of the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court, urging the authorities to implement the April 19 EU-mediated agreement which ended months of a political standoff caused by the parliamentary elections of 2020. The US State Department says that ‘comprehensive, transparent, and inclusive judicial reform’ must be carried out before the process can continue.
Ambassadors of 25 EU countries have called on the Georgian government ‘to uphold the rule of law and to act in effective prevention of any future attempts at such criminal acts,’ following the violent events of July 5, where right-wing protesters attacked and assaulted journalists at the Tbilisi Pride counter rally, removed the EU flag twice from its position in front of parliament and burnt it.
Georgian and Swiss presidents Salome Zurabishvili and Guy Parmelin have pledged to deepen their two countries’ ties in a phone conversation.
Georgian Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri’s parliamentary address on the violence of July 5-6 in Tbilisi has been postponed due to an opposition protest.
Journalists have gathered in Batumi holding banners ‘media under attack’ as the plane of European Council President Charles Michel has landed in the Black Sea town.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has called yesterday’s disrupted parliamentary session ‘damaging and unacceptable’ amid the upcoming 17th International Conference - Georgia's European Way, which is taking place in Batumi today. Interior Minister Vakhtang Gomelauri was to deliver an address at yesterday's extraordinary session regarding the events of July 5 and the measures taken by the police. Gomelauri was interupted by opposition MPs from the beginning of his speech and was not allowed to continue.
Civil society and media organisations of Georgia have published an open letter to President of the European Council Charles Michel today in which they urge him to continue 'your close engagement with Georgia’s leadership and speak publicly against democratic setbacks, and work with Georgia’s civil society to ensure the country’s progress on the path to the Euro-Atlantic integration'.
European Council President Charles Michel has stated that judicial reform is the condition for the disbursement of EU macro-financial assistance to Georgia, following l meetings with Georgian officials and parliamentary opposition parties amid the 17th International Conference - Georgia’s European Way.
Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has met with European Council President Charles Michel, who is visiting Georgia for the 17th International Conference - Georgia’s European Way and stated that Georgia remains a loyal ally of the EU.
The importance of the European Union's ongoing support for the Eastern Partnership states, and a "shared vision" of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine of their membership in the EU were among the messages in opening speeches of presidents Maia Sandu and Volodymyr Zelensky at this year's Batumi International Conference on Monday.
The latest edition of Batumi International Conference, a discussion platform involving European Union and Eastern Partnership states, has launched in Georgia's Black Sea city of Batumi on Monday.