Georgian PM in Brussels on talks with opposition: solution must be found but not at the expense of state interests
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili (L) met with the European Council President Charles Michel in Brussels yesterday. Photo: government of Georgia press office.
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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.’
Most of the Georgian opposition parties which won seats in the 10th convocation of the state legislature are demanding repeat elections and the release of the opposition leader Nika Melia and the co-founder of the opposition minded Mtavari Arkhi TV channel Giorgi Rurua.
Michel has sent a mediator to Georgia to help the parties come to an agreement.
Garibashvili said after his meeting with Michel that the ‘ultimate wish and the task of the EU and Michel is for all Georgian political parties to continue work in parliament. ‘
Met @CharlesMichel & reaffirmed @GovernmentGeo's commitment to stabilize the political situation through constructive dialogue. ???????? highly appreciates the involvement of your personal representative @DanielssonEU, which confirms the strategic importance of ???????? on ????????'s agenda. pic.twitter.com/XQXmChRYJu
— Irakli Garibashvili (@GharibashviliGe) March 15, 2021
I had a very productive meeting with President Charles Michel. I would like to thank him once again for his direct mediatory engagement. His envoy is currently in Tbilisi. Tomorrow we will have a chance to engage in the dialogue. I would like to make one thing clear. We are called to find a solution, but this must not happen at the expense of state interests,” Garibashvili said.
He stated that the Georgian Dream government is ready for a ‘fair decision’.
It must be a compromise more or less acceptable to all. We have openly stated our position. I shared with Mr. Michel the position of our party and the government, and he listened to our offers attentively,” Garibashvili said.
He stated that over the past few days the opposition ‘has been very destructive and has tried to further complicate the tension and hinder the negotiations.’
The opposition says that the ruling party refuses to take a step towards making an agreement.
The head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia was arrested on February 23, 2021 because he refused to pay 40,000 GEL of his 70,000 GEL bail, while Rurua was convicted last year for the illegal possession and carrying of firearms.
The ruling party says that everyone in the country ‘is equal before the law.’
The party also says that repeat elections will not take place ‘because the elections were conducted in the full line with democratic standards and the international community has recognised the results of the elections.’
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
Vice-President of European Commission and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles stated at the press conference following the EU-Georgia Association Council earlier today that this meeting is being held in a ‘pivotal moment’ for Georgia amid the current political crisis.
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.’
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met with European Parliament President David Sassoli and MEPs in Brussels earlier today.
The United National Movement opposition party says a banner depicting currently imprisoned leader Nika Melia was shot at.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Georgian Prime MInister Irakli Garibashvili in Brussels today that ‘the recent political developments in Georgia are worrying’. Expressing NATO’s support for the mediation efforts of the European Union Jens Stoltenberg encouraged PM Garibashvili ‘to work with the opposition to find common ground and common solutions’.
Christian Danielsson, who is leading the EU-backed mediation effort in Georgia, has held the first joint meetings with the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition amid the current political tension. Although the parties did not again speak about the topics of their discussion in detail, ruling party chair Irakli Kobakhidze said after meeting that ‘the process has gone in the right direction.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated following his recent visit to Brussels that the EU top officials have reaffirmed Georgia’s 2020 parliamentary elections were ‘free and competitive’ and that the demands of the Georgian opposition parties for repeat elections ‘have no grounds.’
Georgian opposition politicians, who plan to travel to the regions to meet with the public, have announced they will gather in front of the parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi on May 15.