EU-mediated talks between Georgian political parties to resume next week
EU mediator in the talks between Georgian political parties Christian Danielsson will arrive in Georgia either on March 28 or 29. Photo: EU in Georgia press office.
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The EU-mediation talks between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of opposition figures are likely to resume on Monday, IPN has cited the EU delegation to Georgia as saying.
IPN has reported that the EU mediator in the talks Christian Danielsson will arrive in Georgia either on March 28 or 29.
EU Ambassador to Georgia Carl Hartzell has stated that reaching an agreement between the parties is dependent on the ‘sincere desire of all parties.’
He said that by the return Danielsson will make sure whether there is a chance for the parties to come to an agreement.
It will not be easy. However, It is a Danielsson mission,” Hartzell said.
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 parties say that the government refuses to make concessions. Photo: EU in Georgia press office.
However, earlier on March 19 he left the country after mediation had ended without result.
On Match 23 Michel tweeted that Danielsson would travel back to Georgia.
The Georgian opposition parties which have won seats in the 10th convocation of the Georgian parliament say that the last year parliamentary elections were fabricated and have been demanding repeat elections since November 2020.
The arrest of the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia for his refusal to pay bail on February 23, 2021 further complicated the political tension.
The last meeting between Georgian political parties, mediated by Danielsson on March 18, lasted more than nine hours.
Summary of Day 7 of Christian Danielsson’s @DanielssonEU visit to Georgia as @eucopresident envoy to EU mediated political dialogue. pic.twitter.com/5SDCvD4oTz
— EU Delegation Georgia ???????? (@EUinGeorgia) March 19, 2021
The top demands of the opposition include the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections, the release of Melia and the co-founder of the opposition-minded TV channel Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Rurua who was convicted last year for the illegal possession and carrying of firearms.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that repeat elections are not on the agenda, while the release of Melia and Rurua is up to the court and not to the government.
Garibashvili said that the country’s opposition has two choices: ‘either listen to the EU and the US partners and take up their mandates in the state legislature, or continue their marginal actions.’