EU, US Ambassadors meet Georgian opposition amid political crisis
Following opposition leader's detention the US Embassy denounced 'polarising rhetoric from Georgia’s leadership at a time of crisis', while the EU Ambassador has meanwhile called on all sides to find common grounds. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge archive
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Georgian opposition politicians gathered at the residence of European Union Ambassador Carl Hartzel to discuss the recent developments in the country following the detention of United National Movement chair Nika Melia.
United States Ambassador Kelly Degnan also joined the meeting.
The key words for today more than ever is about de-escalation and about coming back to the negotiations trying to defuse the current tensions which we find very concerning”, Ambassador Hartzell told journalists ahead of the meeting.
Referring to the statement from ‘friends and partners from Europe and elsewhere in the last 24 hours’, Carl Hartzel said ‘this is one of the reasons why I am hosting some guests this evening.
We are talking to different sides including my role as a facilitator. So I am looking forward to continuing that talk”, the EU Ambassador said.
US Ambassador Degnan has also stated that both - the ruling party and opposition - are ready to find out a solution out of the current political crisis.
She said 'we will continue to talk' with opposition and the Georgian Dream 'to see if there is a way forward here'.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili discussed the current political crisis with the ambassadors of United States, France and Germany, Kelly Degnan, Diego Colas and Hubert Knirsch earlier today. Photo: president.gov.ge
UNM member Salome Samadashvili said after the meeting with ambassadors that Melia’s detention has decreased the chances for further negotiation with the Georgian Dream.
We have never refused to negotiate, but in order the negotiations to yield any results, we should see specific steps from the ruling party concerning the political prisoners”, Samadashvili said.
Claiming that the Georgian Dream has brought the country into ‘a political deadlock’, Samadashvili said the opposition - with support of their wester partners - will make the Georgian Dream end that deadlock.
A number of foreign dignitaries have expressed their concern over Melia's detention at the UNM headquarter shortly after the confirmation of Georgia's new cabinet of ministers.
NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai wrote in a Fecebook post earlier today that 'the detention of the head of a major opposition party is of deep concern'.
Following the detention of UNM chair Melia, opposition politicians and civic activists plan to camp out in front of the parliament building in protest tonight.
Demanding the release of Melia and repeat parliamentary elections, opposition has called on everyone to join a large-scale rally on February 26.
Meanwhile, Irakli Garibashvili who was confirmed prime minister yesterday stated later in the evening that ‘against the backdrop of the challenges facing the country, it is time for dialogue, not confrontation’.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili met with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili earlier today to discuss the necessity of dialogue in the current political crisis. President Zurabishvili has also discussed the recent developments with the ambassadors of United States, France and Germany, Kelly Degnan, Diego Colas and Hubert Knirsch, respectively.
New Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has addressed the nation saying that Georgia’ has no time to lose’. ‘Today is not the time for division – it is the time for unification’, he stated. Garibashvili who was confirmed prime minister yesterday said in his recent video address that amid the important challenges Georgia is facing nowadays, including the pandemic, ‘we must all unite’ regardless the political beliefs and views.
Opposition politicians and civis activists who gathered in front of the parliament building in downtown Tbilisi following the detention of opposition United National Movement (UNM) chair Nika Melia plan to camp out in protest tonight.
Georgia's former prime minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and former foreign minister Mikheil Janelidze have reacted to the arrest of opposition leader Nika Melia on Tuesday and subsequent political tensions in the country by calling on the government to avoid confrontation, with Janelidze also making a call for repeat parliamentary elections.
US President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has responded to the recent arrest of the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party in Georgia Nika Melia and called on political parties in the country ‘to return to negotiations in support of Georgian democracy.’
Georgian opposition parties have demanded the imposition of sanctions against politicians, judges and the law enforcers who participated in the recent arrest of the head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia and who ‘act against the rule of law.’
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) monitoring co-rapporteurs for Georgia Titus Corlatean and Claude Kern have expressed their concern over the recent developments in Tbilisi. European Parliament members Marina Kaljurand and Sven Mikser have also called on the ruling party and opposition 'to immediately take necessary steps to de-escalate political tensions'.
The spokesperson of the EU External Action Service has released a statement on the arrest of the United National Movement chair Nika Melia which reads that political polarisation in Georgia 'has regrettably further deepened' since then and damages Georgia's democracy.