European Council appoints mediator to help Georgian political parties end tension
The European Council reports that Christian Danielsson will come to Georgia in the coming days to serve as a mediator. Photo: EU.
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European Council President Charles Michel has mandated Christian Danielsson to lead a EU-backed mediation effort in Georgia, in follow up to the relaunch of the political dialogue between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition.
The appointment comes shortly after Michel’s visit to Georgia earlier this month.
Five of eight opposition parties which have won seats in the 10th convocation of the Georgian parliament have been demanding repeat elections since the October 31, 2020 race.
They have accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of falsifying the elections, refused to take up their mandates and took to the street in November 2020.
Opposition rallies resumed at the end of the last month, amid the coronavirus pandemic, after the arrest of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party head Nika Melia on February 23 (for his refusal to pay bail).
UNM head Melia is charged with incitement to violence during the June 2019 protests and was released on bail. However, he refused to pay 40,000 GEL of his 70,000 GEL bail. Photo: Nika Melia's Facebok page.
The European Council reports that Danielsson will work closely with EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell, ‘with the aim to overcome the current political tensions in Georgia.’
Danielsson will be travelling to Georgia in the coming days to engage with all stakeholders to the process,” said the statement.
Michel and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell have encouraged all political actors in Georgia ‘to commit fully to the dialogue in a constructive spirit and with a view to pursuing mutually agreeable outcomes, in the interest of a stable, democratic and reform-oriented Georgia, able to successfully advance on its pro-European path.’
Danielsson was formerly permanent representative for Sweden before he became deputy secretary-general of the European Commission in 2011. In 2013 he became director-general for enlargement and in 2015 he was appointed director-general for neighbourhood and enlargement Negotiations. He is currently the head of the European commission's representation in Sweden.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and opposition politicians have gathered at the presidential palace in Tbilisi at a meeting mediated by European Council President Charles Michel. Michel said following the meeting that the parties had an opportunity to listen to each other. However, he said, ‘we understand that there are many difficult topics that need to be tackled’.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with the President of the European Council Charles Michel in Tbilisi earlier today. Garibashvili has stated that Michel’s visit ‘is a clear reiteration that our region has a strategic importance for the EU.’ He also said that the visit ‘demonstrates the strong support and partnership of the EU.’
President of the European Council Charles Michel has met with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in Tbilisi earlier today and stated that his visit demonstrates the EU’s commitment to countries in the region, including Georgia. Michel is scheduled to meet with Georgian, Ukrainian and Moldovan leaders during his regional trip.
Former opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia has been arrested by police earlier today for refusal to post bail shortly after the parliament approved Irakli Garibashvili prime minister and his cabinet late yesterday. Melia was arrested in his office in the UNM headquarters in Tbilisi by special unit servicemen. Police allegedly used pepper spray in the room.
Twenty-three former diplomats, ambassadors and representatives of various international organisations have released an open letter in which they said that the Georgian Dream government ‘must take the first step’ to solve the current tension in the country and this step should be the release of the new head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia.
Vice-President of European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles has stated at the European Parliament today that the EU is looking forward to seeing Georgian political parties progress on dialogue.
The EU has urged for a ‘wide consensus’ and a dialogue between the Georgian Dream ruling party and the opposition to solve the current tension ahead of the 6th meeting of the EU-Georgia Association Council in Brussels on March 16, RFE/RL has cited the EU’s draft as saying for the meeting. Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili is scheduled to participate in the meeting. The document also urges Georgian political parties to refrain from sharp rhetoric.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has welcomed an upcoming visit of the EU mediator in the talks with the opposition to calm the current political tension in the country.
The EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition amid the current political tension in the country, Christian Danielsson, has arrived in Georgia earlier today. He is now meeting with Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili in capital Tbilisi. Before the meeting Danielsson told journalists that he will have a ‘busy three days’ with Georgian political parties.
EU mediator Christian Danielsson has met with the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition amid the current political tension in Georgia. Danielsson, who arrived in Georgia yesterday, has held separate meetings with different parties.
Christian Danielsson, who is visiting Georgia to lead the EU-backed mediation effort in Georgia, has held follow-up meetings with the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition amid the current political tension.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, along with the EU ambassador to Georgia and three ministers have left for Brussels earlier today to attend the sixth meeting of the EU-Georgia Association Council.