EU top official Borrell: political actors in Georgia should put interest of people first, find compromises
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell held a joint press conference following the EU-Georgia association council in Brussels. Photo: European Union
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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.
Since the last parliamentary elections in Autumn, the European Union has repeatedly said that all political actors need to find common ground and look for a way forward from the current political situation”, Borrell said.
This, he noted, is especially essential and important when Georgia has to deal with the coronavirus pandemic as well as to move forward with its ‘wide-reaching reform agenda’ including electoral and judiciary reforms.
Noting that ‘the special responsibility rests with the ruling party and the government to find a way forward’, Borrell stated as well that ‘boycotting parliamentary activity is not helpful for a functioning democracy, for political pluralism’.
It’s not by boycotting parliament that we can look for solutions in the framework of political pluralism. All parties, all political actors within Georgia must look at the wider consequences of the current situation and we have been asking everybody to put the interest of Georgian people first and find compromises”, Borrell said.
On his part, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili who leads the Georgian delegation to Brussels reiterated Georgia’s ‘deep commitment’ to joining the EU ‘as a strong, reliable and democratic partner’.
Georgia represents an important platform of democracy in a turbulent geopolitical region. We see our future with European Union. We are committed to go[ing] down a difficult but rewarding path of reforms. In this process we very much value the EU’s close engagement by advancing Georgia’s European aspirations”, PM Garibashvili said.
He further noted that European Council President Charles Michel’s recent visit to Georgia - who mediated a dialogue between the ruling party and opposition - was ‘a clear and welcome sign of EU’s commitment to Georgia’.
In his address Garibashvili also reiterated Georgia’s willingness to submit an EU membership application in 2024 ‘as a thriving democracy’. This, he said, is a strong motivation for the country ‘to advance on all necessary political and economic reforms’ in line with its commitments under the association agreement.
*The full press conference is available here.
The European Council shared a short video summing up the EU-Georgia Association Council:
The EU-Georgia association council held ahead of the press conference chaired by Josep Borrell welcomed Georgia’s progress on its European path, including in the challenging COVID-19 context and recognised the efforts of the Georgian government to contain the virus as well as to ensure targeted social assistance to those in need.
Noting that last year’s parliamentary elections ‘were competitive and that, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected’, the council agreed on the importance of addressing all recommendations related to the shortcomings identified by international observers ‘through ambitious and inclusive electoral reform in order to strengthen the electoral environment and render it more favourable for the democratic conduct of elections’.
Strongly regretting ‘the deepening political polarisation in Georgia’ the EU has further called for a ‘swift resolution to the ongoing political situation, for all parties to step up efforts to de-escalate the situation and come together to identify and agree on common ground’.
EU Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi who also attended the EU-Georgia association council has tweeted:
#COVID-19: EU has been quick to react & show solidarity w Georgia. We mobilised €183 million of assistance last year + €150 million macro financial assistance. Our focus is now on the vaccination campaigns, w support through #COVAX & EU sharing mechanism under preparation. pic.twitter.com/KTLgK650JS
— Oliver Varhelyi (@OliverVarhelyi) March 16, 2021
My remarks at the press conference after EU Georgia Association Council in full: https://t.co/ajVxWitV7W pic.twitter.com/sSl2WYsD5C
— Oliver Varhelyi (@OliverVarhelyi) March 16, 2021
Varhelyi said at the press conference that at the association agreement the parties ‘discussed at length how to tap into the full potential of the Association Agreement and how to provide further tangible benefits for the citizens of Georgia’.
PM Garibashvili left for Brussels to attend the sixth meeting of the EU-Georgia Association Council yesterday. Today he held two meetings with Charles Michel, whose special envoy Christian Danielsson continues to mediate the talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition in Tbilisi.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.’
EU-mediated talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of two opposition representatives have ended without a result and mediator Christian Danielsson has left for Brussels earlier today. Danielsson, who was sent to Georgia by European Council President Charles Michel on March 12, had spent a week in Georgia, more than scheduled, to help the parties come to an agreement.
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.
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