European Parliament resolution initiated by EPP with United National Movement opposition as its “main ally” - PM

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”.

Garibashvili claimed “some Georgian opposition politicians” had “gone to Europe to spread follies against our country”, referring to the personalities as “irresponsible” and “saboteurs”.

A few days ago, a resolution was adopted in the European Parliament. The main initiator of this resolution was the European People's Party. We know well who this party is, but the main thing is to remind our citizens that the party affiliated to the European People's Party, and their main ally, is again and again the United National Movement”, the head of the Georgian Government said.

The opposition politicians who lobbied at European structures had acted “not against the Government and the ruling Georgian Dream party, but against the country” in the process, the PM noted.

Adopting such an irresponsible and shameful resolution is a direct proof of what I have said. [...] These shameful accusations - written down in the resolution - the so-called facts and evidence, were provided by them [the domestic opposition politicians]”, Garibashvili 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.