EU mediator: Georgian political parties should themselves find an outcome, we just mediate
The EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition Christian Danielsson (L) arrived in Georgia earlier today and has already met with the Georgian PM. Photo: EU in Georgia press office.
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The EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition amid the current political tension, Christian Danielsson, has stated that the parties should themselves find a solution to the situation with the help of mediation.
He stated that Georgia ‘is a valuable partner’ for the EU and that the EU is concerned by the ‘current political deadlock’ in the country.
Danielsson stated that Georgia faces different challenges related to the pandemic and the state economy and its the time for the political parties ‘to ensure all efforts’ to come to the agreement for the state welfare.
He said that he has launched his visit to Georgia ‘by listening to all parties.’
Georgian PM Irakli Garibashvili has tweeted after the meeting with Danielsson today.
Met @DanielssonEU. We appreciate the support of @eucopresident & the direct involvement of his personal representative in the political dialogue. This highlights the importance of ???????? for the ????????. We Reaffirmed @GovernmentGeo's readiness to fully commit to constructive dialogue.
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) March 12, 2021
I have already met with the president and the PM. During the day I will meet with the civil sector and representatives of political parties,” Danielsson said, adding that after the meetings he will see how the process may develop.
In the afternoon Danielsson will meet with Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze, MPs Irakli Kobakhidze and Kakheber Kuchava from the ruling party.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has tweeted:
.@DanielssonEU’s arrival to Tbilisi shows us that the EU will continue to work for the #democraticdevelopment of Georgia. A very productive meeting with the Special Envoy. Once again, each side must put country first and fight for depolarization and stability. pic.twitter.com/nVrc08Qjk0
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) March 12, 2021
The European Council President Charles Michel has mandated Danielsson to lead a EU-backed mediation effort in Georgia to help the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition come to an agreement on the issue of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia and the co-founder of the opposition-minded Mtavari Arkhi channel Giorgi Rurua.
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.
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.
The Georgian Dream ruling party has launched preparations for municipal elections which will take place in the autumn of this year, party officials have stated today, after a meeting at the party headquarters in central Tbilisi.
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.
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.
Georgian opposition parties say that Christian Danielsson, who is the EU mediator in the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition, will stay in Tbilisi until the parties come to an agreement on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of opposition leader Nika Melia.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, who met with the European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels yesterday, has told journalists that the Georgian ruling party and the opposition must come to an agreement amid the current political tension, but a solution ‘must not be found at the expense of state interests.’
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has met with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi in Brussels earlier today, before the sixth EU-Georgia Association Council meeting.
EU officials and the document released after the recent, 6th EU-Georgia Association Council meeting in Brussels say that the October 31, 2020 Georgian parliamentary elections, as well as the second round of the elections in November 2020, were ‘competitive.’
The United National Movement opposition party says a banner depicting currently imprisoned leader Nika Melia was shot at.