Ruling party MP “convinced” European Parliament resolution won’t “cast a shadow” over Georgia’s progress
Chikovani claimed the resolution contained “many factual inaccuracies” that did “not reflect reality”. Photo: Parliament of Georgia
Tweet 
Share
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Friday said he was “convinced” the resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday, would not “cast a shadow” over the “progress made” by the country.
Chikovani claimed the resolution contained “many factual inaccuracies” that did “not reflect reality”.
We hope that Georgia, along with the other Associated Trio states [Ukraine and Moldova], will become a candidate for European Union membership. [...] There are people who are lobbyists of the [opposition] United National Movement [party] - unfortunately, they are also within the European Union [institutions], and therefore we got what we got [with the resolution]. I am convinced that the resolution will not cast a shadow over the progress that Georgia has made, which is visible to everyone”, Chikovani said.
The ruling party MP stressed that before the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Georgia had held a “leading position” in terms of fulfilling the Association Agreement - signed with the EU in 2014 - compared to other signatories of the agreement with the Union.
We are well aware of the geostrategic situation that now exists in Europe and the world. We take this into account and we believe that today, all three countries should receive the [EU membership] candidate status. Georgia has implemented reforms aimed at democracy, strengthening human rights and ensuring the rule of law. We have made huge progress. Georgia has achieved very important results”, he concluded.
The European Parliament resolution adopted on Thursday noted the “increasing number of cases of intimidation, violence against and persecution of journalists” in Georgia and called on the country’s authorities to “thoroughly investigate any case of violence and to prosecute those responsible”.
It noted the assault on reporters by right-wing groups in Tbilisi on July 05, 2021, ahead of a planned Tbilisi Pride event, and pointed to a “persistent lack of diligent investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the violence”.
The resolution also urged Georgian authorities to “refrain from interfering in media freedom or pursuing politically motivated judicial cases against media owners or representatives”, and noted the case of Gvaramia, who was sentenced to three years and six months in prison last month for causing financial damage to Rustavi 2 channel through advertising deals between 2015-2019, during his time at the helm of the company.
Gia Volski, a ruling party MP and the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday said he was “confident” the European Council would analyse “in depth” the “reality created around Georgia” and grant the country the European Union membership candidate status.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Wednesday criticised the European Parliament resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia by saying the document was “not worth a dime”.
Nikoloz Samkharadze, the Georgian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Chair, on Wednesday said granting the European Union member candidate status to the Associated Trio countries of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova was not a “technical or bureaucratic” question but a “very important geopolitical decision”.
Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on Wednesday said providing support for Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and countries in the South Caucasus was “more important than ever,” vowing the EU would continue strengthening ties with the partnering states.
Archil Talakvadze, the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Friday said the resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday, “diverges from reality”, “lacks fairness” and “contains distorted facts”.
Irakli Kobakhidze, the Chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Sunday said that the Georgian authorities had “optimistic expectations” about the country’s European Union membership bid.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday said the resolution on violations of media freedom and the safety of journalists in Georgia, adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday, had been initiated by the European People's Party, and called the United National Movement domestic opposition party the EPP’s “main ally”.
Irakli Chikovani, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Monday said the Georgian delegation at the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe this week would talk about the progress made by the country's authorities in implementing conditions for the European Union membership candidate status.
Members of the ruling Georgian Dream party on Wednesday said they were “disappointed” with what they called a “number of wrong interpretations” in the newly approved annual report on the fulfilment of the 2014-signed Association Agreement between Georgia and the European Union.
Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and the secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday said “certain members” of the European Parliament were “friends not of Georgia but of a particular political party”.