NGOs say Georgian Dream decision to back out of EU-mediated agreement undermines Georgia’s stability, future prospects
The six-month political crisis between the ruling and opposition parties in Georgia was resolved by the involvement of the European Council President Charles Michel who proposed an agreement. Photo: Charles Michel/Twitter
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Georgian civil society organisations say the recent decision of the ruling Georgian Dream party to back out of the April 19 EU-mediated agreement ‘constitutes a straightforward rejection of Georgia's Euro-Atlantic course and the peaceful development of the country through democratic reforms’.
Transparency International Georgia, which is one of the 21 signatories of the statement, has tweeted:
Withdrawal from the @eucopresident brokered #April19agreement only serves a desire to retain power, for which @GeorgianDream41 is ready to sacrifice ????????'s prosperity, western orientation, democratic development and relations with strategic partners.https://t.co/4HdGDhtrgy
— Transparency Int'l GE (@Transparency_GE) July 28, 2021
The decision of Georgian Dream is a way to deepen the pre-election political crisis and polarisation and only serves a desire to retain the power, for which the Georgian Dream is ready to sacrifice the country's prosperity, western orientation, democratic development and friendly relations with strategic partners”, the civil society organisations say in a joint statement.
Georgian Young Lawyers Association is also among the signatories:
@GeorgianDream41 decision to annual Apr.19 Agreement contravenes the Interests of ???????? for the #democratic #development and the main principles and values on which the relations between Georgia and its partners ???????????????? are based.#Georgiacrisis @EUinGeorgia @usingeo @eucopresident
— GYLA (@GYLA_CSO) July 28, 2021
The ruling Georgian Dream party has annulled its signatory status to the April 19 EU-mediated agreement which resolved a six-month political crisis in the country following the 2020 parliamentary elections and proposed large-scale electoral and judiciary reforms.
The opposition says that the ruling party ‘acted in an absolutely irresponsible and a destructive manner’ and ‘said no to the EU and the US’ through pulling out of the agreement which had resolved a six-month political crisis in the country and proposed large-scale reforms.
International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has also tweeted:
The decision by the authorities to quit #April19Agreement constitutes a straightforward rejection of #Georgia's Euro-Atlantic course and the peaceful development of the country through #democratic reforms. More: https://t.co/LrHq8zQKMl #GeorgiaCrisis #Gvote21
— ISFED (@isfed_official) July 28, 2021
Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze stated earlier today that the agreement initiated by the European Council President Charles Michel ‘had completed its mission’ and accused opposition parties, in particular, the United National Movement, of non-fulfilment of the agreement.
Leader of opposition party Girchi - More Freedom Zurab Japaridze has left parliament after the ruling Georgian Dream party’s withdrawal from the EU-mediated agreement early today, stating that the agreement was his reason for being in parliament. Japaridze claimed the ruling party decided to leave the agreement because it has ‘zero chance of receiving 43% of the vote in upcoming elections’ – a condition provided for in the EU-mediated agreement, which if not met would see repeat parliamentary elections in Georgia.
The Lelo opposition party has stated that they may boycott the October 2 municipal elections, while several opposition leaders have urged opposition MPs to give up their mandates as the ruling Georgian Dream party has left the April 19 EU-mediated agreement.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has annulled its signatory status to the April 19 EU-mediated agreement which resolved a six-month political crisis in the country following the 2020 parliamentary elections and proposed large-scale electoral and judiciary reforms.Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze stated earlier today that the agreement initiated by the European Council President Charles Michel ‘had completed its mission’ and accused opposition parties of non-fulfilment of the agreement.
The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party MPs attended their first session in the 10th convocation of the state legislature earlier today after a six-month political standoff.
Opposition parties are undecided what to do after the ruling Georgian Dream party left the EU-mediated agreement yesterday - a document signed by the majority of Georgian political parties back in April 2021 which resolved a six-month political crisis.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said earlier today that the implementation of reforms will continue despite the ruling Georgian Dream party’s withdrawal from the EU-mediated agreement which ended the six-month political crisis caused by the parliamentary elections of 2020. The April 19 agreement obliged all signatory parties to participate in the process of fundamental electoral and judicial reforms’ implementation.
The international community has criticised the ruling Georgian Dream party’s exit from the EU-mediated agreement which put an end to a six-month political standoff caused by parliamentary elections of 2020. Seven US senators have published a joint statement on the breakdown of the Georgian EU-mediated agreement which says that ‘recent developments in Georgia undermine the reform efforts agreed to in the April 19 agreement.’
The US Embassy in Georgia has responded to the ruling party’s exit from the EU-mediated agreement and stated that ‘Washington is growing increasingly alarmed about repeated setbacks to Georgia’s democratic future.’ The ruling Georgian Dream party announced yesterday that the agreement initiated by the European Council President Charles Michel ‘completed its mission’ and left the agreement.
European Council President Charles Michel has called on all political parties in Georgia today ‘to put the interests of citizens first’ following the ruling party’s exit from the EU-mediated agreement. The ruling Georgian Dream party has left the April 19 agreement brokered by Charles Michel, noting that it had ‘completed its mission.’
US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan has welcomed the largest opposition United National Movement (UNM) party’s decision to sign the EU-mediated agreement and stated that ‘it is a good sign for strengthening Georgia’s path forward.’
US Senator Jim Risch and Congressmen Adam Kinzinger and Gerry Connolly have welcomed the decision of Georgia's largest opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), to sign the April 2021 EU-mediated agreement after several months of refusing to do so. However, Risch was cited by Voice of America as saying that the UNM’s decision is ‘at least belated’ and that the party’s more than four-month hesitation encouraged the ruling Georgia Dream (GD) to withdraw from the agreement in July of this year.