EU-mediated talks between Georgian political parties fail again
EU mediator Christian Danielsson has left Georgia after the failure of his mediation efforts for the second time. Photo: EU in Georgia press office.
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The ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition have failed to come to an agreement in EU-mediated talks for the second time.
The document offered by EU mediator Christian Danielsson yesterday which concerned ‘ambitious electoral and judicial reform’ and offered amnesty for suspects and convicts of the June 2019 protests in Tbilisi was not signed by any of the parties.
.@DanielssonEU, Envoy of @eucopresident for EU mediated dialogue in Georgia, publishes proposal made today to Georgian political parties.
— EU Delegation Georgia ???????? (@EUinGeorgia) March 30, 2021
➡️English: https://t.co/qAO8G1IRhn
➡️Georgian: https://t.co/36e5EUr6PI
The document did not include the conduct of repeat parliamentary elections which has been demanded by the opposition since November 2020.
The opposition parties accused the ruling party of being destructive and said that no agreement will be acceptable for them which will not include the issue of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of ‘political prisoners.’
They said that they will continue exerting pressure on the government, both inside and outside the country, ‘to make them concede.’
.@DanielssonEU holds a meeting with representatives of Georgian Dream and opposition parties during his second visit to Tbilisi as @eucopresident envoy to EU mediated political dialogue in ????????. pic.twitter.com/vO0YGE6DO1
— EU Delegation Georgia ???????? (@EUinGeorgia) March 30, 2021
The ruling Georgian Dream party said that the United National Movement, Lelo and Girchi - More Freedom opposition parties were ‘particularly destructive’ in the talks.
The party said that the opposition refused to pay bail for the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia in exchange for amnesty for violations during 2019 protests.
The document which was offered by Danielsson said that ‘all future parliamentary elections in Georgia shall be fully proportional. The next two parliamentary elections shall have a threshold between natural and 2%.’
It also stated that the parliament ‘shall adopt ambitious judicial reform in this parliamentary term.’
The document said that the opposition MPs shall be assigned five committee chairmanships in parliament.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has tweeted:
#EU mediated negotiations in #Georgia have not yet reached the expected outcome. The document proposed by #ChristianDanielsson remains a good basis for future progress.
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) March 30, 2021
The document cited OSCE/ODIHR as saying that the October 31 parliamentary elections in Georgia ‘were competitive and, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected’.
The parties acknowledge their differing assessment of the 2020 elections and agree to take up their parliamentary mandates and participate in future elections on the basis of the electoral reform agreed here above, in the interest of Georgia’s political stability and in order to implement this agreement,” said the document.
Danielsson, who was earlier sent to Georgia for mediation by the European Council President Charles Michel on March 12, returned back to Tbilisi on March 27 after the failure of his previous mediation efforts.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze has tweeted:
Grateful to @eucopresident Michel & special envoy @DanielssonEU for their mediation leadership. Even though opposition was not ready to sign, we’ll guide judicial & electoral reforms by the Danielsson’s proposal. We leave doors open for parties to join. pic.twitter.com/ldNYaMkbcp
— Archil Talakvadze (@A_Talakvadze) March 30, 2021
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(in the case of June 2019 protests) further complicated the political tension.
We deeply regret that Gov. of #Georgia & Opposition failed to come to negotiated agreement during EU mediated talks. This is a missed opportunity that will delay advancement of ???????? Euro-Atlantic integration. We urge progress on judicial & electoral reforms, & continued dialogue.
— UK in Georgia (@UKinGeorgia) March 31, 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 had stated that repeat elections were not on the agenda, while the release of Melia and Rurua was up to the court and not to the government.
Garibashvili also 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.’
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that the chance is about fifty-fifty of reaching an agreement with the parliamentary opposition on election-related issues and the release of imprisoned opposition figures amid the current political tension. The statement came after today’s meeting with the EU mediator in talks between the ruling party and the opposition Christian Danielsson who returned to Tbilisi on March 27 after previous mediation efforts failed earlier this month.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that the ruling Georgian Dream party is ready for a ‘constructive dialogue’ with the opposition to solve the current political tension ‘as soon as possible.’ Garibashvili made the statement earlier today after his meeting with EU mediator Christian Danielsson who returned back to Tbilisi on March 27 after the failure of his previous mediation efforts earlier this month.
EU mediator Christian Danielsson, who arrived in Georgia late last night, calls on the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition to agree on a compromise. Danielsson said upon arrival that he is looking forward to engaging with the leaders of the political parties in supporting them to reach an agreement to end the political crisis in this country.
A couple of days before the EU-mediated talks between the Georgian ruling party and opposition, both sides express their readiness to reach the final agreement to end the current political crisis in Georgia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party says that they were ready to sign an agreement offered by the EU mediator in the talks with the opposition if several changes were introduced in it.
Chairperson-in-Office of the OSCE Ann Linde has tweeted earlier today that she ‘regrets’ that political parties in Georgia have not reached an agreement to end the ‘current impasse'. "A solution is needed to strengthen Georgia’s democracy, development and European integration", she wrote on Twitter.
Seven MEPs have released a joint statement saying that they are ‘deeply disappointed’ with political leaders in Georgia ‘for their inability’ to reach an agreement in the EU-mediated talks last Tuesday on election-related issues and the release of opposition figures. They said that the proposal offered by EU-mediator in the talks Christian Danielsson was ‘in the best interests of Georgia.’
Member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs Michael Gahler says the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition United National Movement (UNM) should reach an agreement on the release of UNM leader Nika Melia from the detention facility if he will wear a monitoring bracelet again.
US foreign policy expert and former ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker does not see the need for repeat parliamentary elections in Georgia. Volker told TV Pirveli media outlet that despite certain violations which need to be investigated, the OSCE/ODIHR has recognised last year’s elections as transparent and legitimate.
Members of European Parliament Marina Kaljurand, Andrius Kubilius and Viola von Cramon-Taubadel have spoken about the EU’s mediation efforts in Georgia and the recent failure to reach an agreement between the political parties.
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has spoken about the importance of unity and expressed support for Ukraine amid the movements of Russian troops in its border in her annual speech in the state legislature earlier today.
In an open letter to the US senators, Georgian non-governmental organisations are calling for the United States for greater involvement in resolution of the political crisis in Georgia.
The US Department of State is ‘disappointed’ that the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition have not yet come to an agreement to ease the current political tension in Georgia, Voice of America (VoA) cites the US Department of State as saying.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has signed a EU-proposed agreement by mediator Christian Danielsson earlier today which concerns ‘ambitious electoral and judicial reform’ and offers amnesty for suspects and convicts of the June 19 protests in Tbilisi, including the currently imprisoned head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia. The Georgian Dream party and the opposition failed to sign the same agreement at the end of March 2021, following the second arrival of Danielsson to help the parties come to an agreement.
European Parliament members Viola von Cramon-Taubadel and Marina Kaljurand call on the Georgian opposition to follow the example of the ruling party and sign the EU-proposed agreement to solve the current political crisis.