Int’l community criticises ruling party’s withdrawal from EU-mediated agreement
The ruling Georgian Dream party left the EU-mediated agreement yesterday. Photo: Georgian Dream press office.
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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.’
It also underlined that the US worked closely in partnership with the EU and Georgian political parties ‘to deliver a strong, multiparty agreement that paved the way for critical judicial and electoral reforms.’
It was disappointing that not all elected parties signed the agreement or implemented the agreement in good faith,” US senators stated.
Senators criticised the ruling party’s decision to walk away from the agreement, noting that the Georgian Dream is obliged ‘to set aside political differences and pursue an inclusive, multiparty parliamentary process that benefits all Georgians.’
US Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jim Risch, who was one of the authors of the senators’ joint statement, noted that the ruling Georgian Dream party does not take into consideration the entire country’s interests and ‘only cares about its own future.’
Georgian Dream’s decision to walk away from the April 19 agreement is an abdication of gov’t responsibility, and seems to indicate that the party only cares about its own future – not that of the entire country. The people of #Georgia deserve better.
— Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) July 28, 2021
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price has called on all political parties to work together for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration, underscoring the possible risks of returning to a political crisis in Georgia.
The Georgian Dream Party’s withdrawal from the April 19 Agreement undermines an agreed upon way forward for the country through needed reforms and risks a return to political crises. We call on all parties to work together to advance Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
— Ned Price (@StateDeptSpox) July 29, 2021
European Parliament member Viola von Cramon has also responded to the latest developments in Georgia and stated that Georgian Foreign Minister Zalkaliani’s recent interview for Euractiv on the Eastern Partnership and European integration ‘looks especially ridiculous.’
After the latest domestic developments in #GEO this interview looks especially ridiculous. #GeorgianDream openly stated to annul their signature from April19th agreement with the #EU. Georgia FM: We need a post-2020 Eastern Partnership agenda perspective https://t.co/vBzjXuhnbz
— Viola von Cramon (@ViolavonCramon) July 28, 2021
She also stated that the biggest Georgian opposition party United National Movement (UNM) made it easier for the ruling party to annul the agreement.
True. Unfortunately, the same is true for the biggest opposition party #UNM who hasn’t even started to sign the joint April 19th agreement. They made it easy for #GeorgianDream to annul their signature. Even more true: The people of #Georgia will suffer the most of the decisions. https://t.co/MVaNjGp5mx
— Viola von Cramon (@ViolavonCramon) July 29, 2021
Former President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves said that the ruling party’s current act ‘set Euro-Atlantic integration back a long time.’
I fear this latest step set "Euro-Atlantic integration" back for a long time. The resounding message for Europe is there is no point in pursuing any kind of integration with a government that blithely tearx up agreements.
— toomas hendrik ilves (@IlvesToomas) July 29, 2021
If you're in doubt, look at the UK and EU on NI Protocol.
US diplomat Michael Carpenter also commented on the Georgian Dream’s decision and stated that ‘the EU-brokered agreement helped support the rule of law, political inclusiveness, and a level playing field.’
This is really unfortunate. The EU-brokered agreement helped support the rule of law, political inclusiveness, and a level playing field. Sad to see the ruling party walk away from it. https://t.co/nd3ekWEQsJ
— Michael Carpenter (@mikercarpenter) July 28, 2021
European Council President Charles Michel has responded to the ruling party’s decision to withdraw from the EU-mediated agreement and called on all political parties in Georgia ‘to put the interests of citizens first.’